The Road Not Taken
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: What if the town hadn't been bought? Where would all our favorite characters go? After the series finale, alternate ending if you will.
1. Chapter 1

**The Road Not Taken **

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**********Summary: What if the town hadn't been bought? Where would all our favorite characters go? After the series finale, alternate ending if you will.**

**********- Into the Wild**

"So... this is goodbye, I guess." He nodded, hands in his pockets.

"I guess it is." She pulled away, walking a few feet before stopping and letting her gaze wander.

"I can't believe this is the last time we'll ever stand on Main Street, or see Cafe Diem or GD-" She turned, shielding her eyes with her hand. He shrugged, going to her and taking her waist.

"But we'll have each other, and that's what's important." She nodded, wrapping her arms around him. He buried his face in her neck, struggling to stem his tears. He'd spent the last few years in this town, grown into the man he'd become because of this town, of the woman in his arms, and now, he was being forced to leave it all behind. And he had her; with his grandmother's ring on her finger, and her hand in his, he could go anywhere, and it would be home, but it would never be like Eureka.

"We'd better get going, we're gonna miss our flight." She said, pulling away. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, before snatching her keys from her hand and going to her small blue subaru.

"I can't believe you're the first of us to leave." She turned to Allison; the older woman was struggling to- and losing- contain her tears. Jo chuckled softly, she knew that the majority of it was the horomones caused by her pregnancy, but she also knew that a lot of it had to do with the town shutting down. The younger woman shrugged as she wrapped Allison in a hug. People had been slowly leaving Eureka over the last few weeks, but none of the Elite Six (as Vincent had so aptly nicknamed them), had left with their spouses or respective others until now. Jo and Zane were the first to do so.

"Let us know when the baby's born, okay? When do you leave for Seattle?" Jo asked, pulling away and taking Allison's hands.

"A couple days. Have you decided where you're going to go?" Jo licked her lips.

"Well, we're going to stop in Jersey and see my dad, and so he can terrorize Zane." She said, turning to her fiance. Allison and the others laughed as Zane pulled the car around.

"Very funny, Jojo!" Zane replied, getting out and joining them. She grinned, her nose wrinkling. "And then we're going to head up to Boston to see my mom." Zane finished for her, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"So you'll be living in Boston?" Grace asked, wrapping Zane in a hug before going to Jo.

"We haven't decided yet." He replied, sharing a glance with Jo. "We've actually been thinking of Toronto or Vancouver. Maybe even Ontario."

"Like Canada, Ontario?" Carter asked, mouth dropping. "That's a whole other country!"

"We know." Jo shrugged.

"Why would you go up there?" Fargo asked, squeezing Holly's hand. "It's just... filled with Canadians."

"Zane's part Canadian." Jo put in. Everyone turned to the younger man, startled. He looked up.

"What? I spent my childhood visiting my dad's siblings in Vancouver. My cousin Niall lives in Alberta. He runs an oil refinery."

"So... Canadian American." Carter clarified. "Dual citizenship." Zane nodded. Allison started crying again, and Carter pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back.

"Make sure you let us know where you end up, even if you can't tell us directly what you're doing." Henry said, shaking Zane's hand; the only one of the group not surprised by Jo and Zane's consideration of moving up to Canada. He nodded, as Jo wrapped her arms tight around his waist. Three weeks earlier, Henry had given Jo and Zane a folder filled with recommendations, for 'when they needed them.' He'd made a few calls to NASA, as well as the FBI and CIA in regards to the young couple, of which the pair were grateful.

"We will, thank you, Henry." Zane replied, as Jo wrapped the older man in a hug. He held her close, pressing a kiss to her head. Jo had always been a daughter to him; he'd watched her recover from her near destructive injuries from her only tour of duty after she'd first arrived, had been her confidante and mentor, and he was sad to see her go, but happy over the fact that Zane would be by her side. Of all the time traveling five, Henry had been the only one to not give up on Jo and Zane's relationship after arriving in the altered timeline. He'd looked after both Jo and Zane, listened as they vented their frustrations about the other, answered their questions regarding approaching a relationship as wild and passionate as theirs.

Zane wrapped Grace in a hug, and then Holly, before turning to Fargo. He'd grown to value the former GD director's friendship over the last year and a half, and even considered him a close friend. Fargo had essentially (and unintentionally) given Zane the push he needed to get off his ass and pursue Jo after slipping about the alternate timeline, he'd counted Zane as a friend in the Matrix, and had turned to him when Virtual Eureka bled through into real Eureka, and in turn, had gained the respect and friendship of the former felon. The two had had their differences- in another timeline, had even gone against each other after Jo- but now, Fargo was happy to count Zane among his closest friends. Zane had helped bring Holly back from oblivion, and for that, Fargo would always be in his debt.

Jo meanwhile, had turned to Zoe. The teen stood trying hard not to cry, her long blonde curls making her look even more like a child, as she clutched at her jacket. Jo had watched Zoe grow from a delinquent to an adult, she counted her as a sister, a friend, a confidante. After learning the truth about the altered timeline, Zoe had accepted Zane's breaking it off (after a hefty stint of anger at both Jo and Zane) and now watched with tears in her eyes as her two best friends prepared to drive off into the unknown. "You have to call me when you get to Boston or Jersey or wherever you're going, and we'll catch up and plan for the wedding. We'll go shopping or go biking or something equally as-"

"Adrenaline racing?" Jo finished. Zoe nodded, as Jo wrapped her arms around her in a hug. The older woman ran a hand up Zoe's back, tangling her fingers in the blonde curls. "Who knew you'd go from delinquency to Harvard Grad student in six short years?" The two laughed, and Zoe shook her head.

"You really had no hope in me at all, did you?"

"None." Jo replied, laughing. She took the girl's hands.

"You're one of my best friends, Jo. You're my sister." Zoe whispered, squeezing her hands. She sniffled, as Zane's ring sparked in the light.

"And you're mine." Jo replied. She wrapped the girl in another hug, blinking away fresh tears. "Let us know when winter break hits, we'll come up and visit." Jo pulled away, going to Zane, who was talking with Carter.

"Babe," Zane turned as Jo tugged gently on his arm. "We'd better get going. It's an hour drive to Portland, and my dad's made it clear that we are going out to _Luciano's_ when we get in. He's made it _very, very _clear that he's going to stuff us silly while he weasles information out of us." Zane rolled his eyes.

"Just as long as it's not his chili he's force feeding us, I couldn't care where we go." Jo chuckled.

"Neither do I." She replied, wrapping an arm around his waist. He kissed her gently, before going to the car.

"Wait!" Both turned to see Vincent rushing towards them, a basket in his hands. "This is for you two. To celebrate your new life together." He said, pushing the basket into Jo's hands. "Two bags of my new fesh-ground Vinspresso blend, snacks for the trip, a recipe book, and my number if you ever want a good home-cooked meal."

"Thank you, Vincent." Jo said, setting the basket on the floor in the backseat of the car. When she turned back, she found herself being pulled into a tight hug along with Zane; Vincent lifted Jo off her feet as he squeezed the two tight.

"I can't believe you're really going." The chef said, once Jo was back on her feet. Henry and Grace chuckled at the pair's stunned expressions as they regained air to their lungs. "It seems like only yesterday the two of you were sending other customers running during one of your arguements, and now look at you! Engaged!" Jo shared a glance with Zane, before shrugging.

"Yeah, it... it doesn't seem possible." She whispered. Gently, Zane tugged on her hand, and she followed, going to the car. As she moved to climb into the driver's seat, she stopped, turning back. Carter stood watching her, hands in his pockets. She glanced at Zane, before going to the former sheriff. He shrugged as she got closer.

"Just gonna... leave without saying goodbye?" He asked, struggling to hide the tears in his voice. She sighed.

"I don't... do goodbyes." She replied, slipping her hands into her own pockets. He chuckled. A moment passed, before she reached out, wrapping her arms around his neck. He held her close, burying his face in her long dark locks.

"You're a part of my family, Jo. You always have been, always will be." He whispered, and she buried her face in his shoulder, struggling not to cry as they slowly swayed back and forth. She choked on a sob, and finally pulled away to look into his eyes. She cradled his face in her hands, brushing her thumbs over his cheeks to brush away the tears. He held tight to her waist as she mouthed 'Love you', and then, like she'd done in his office the day she left for her failed walkabout, she pressed her lips against his cheek. His eyes closed on instinct, and he felt fresh tears begin to slide down his cheeks.

When she pulled away, his eyes snapped open, and he grabbed her hand as she moved to leave. There was no way he was going to let her go. He couldn't, his heart couldn't take it. With Zoe returning to Harvard in two days, Eureka shutting down and everyone scattering, losing Jo and Zane was the last straw. If he held tight enough to her small fingers, maybe they'd stay just a little longer. She pulled away slowly, then knelt down and grabbed her duffel- the last thing to pack into the car, and after placing it in the trunk, went to the passenger seat as Zane closed the driver side door. She climbed in the passenger side, waving in that two fingered way she had, a small smile on her lips.

Zane turned to her, pressed a soft kiss to her lips, and pulled out of the parking space. "Ready?" She nodded, reaching over and laying her hand over his on the steering wheel. With a squeeze of her fiance's hand, she turned back to the others, her parting words twinged with tears.

"I'll be seeing ya."

Carter and the others watched through their tears as Jo and Zane drove off, away from their past, towards their future.


	2. Chapter 2

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**A/N: Yes, _The Road Not Taken_ is the title of Robert Frost's famous poem. I figured it was only fitting for this story. **

**- The Goodbye Girl**

"Let us know when you get back to Cambridge."

"I will, Dad, I promise." Carter wrapped his daughter tight in his arms, burying his face in her blonde curls. Tears sprang to his eyes, but he struggled to keep them at bay. They stood in Portland Airport, waiting for Zoe to board her flight back to Massachusetts. Carter tried hard not to think that this was the same airport Zane and Jo had waited in days earlier to catch their own flight to Jersey. Neither he nor Henry nor anyone else had heard from the young couple, and only Carter seemed worried. He shouldn't have been, but he couldn't help it; years of watching the two dash into danger to stop the latest disaster from destroying the world had tuned the sheriff's protective instincts. Allison finally had to take the phone away from him to keep him from calling them every two hours.

"I'll come down for the baby shower." Zoe said, when Carter finally released her and she turned to Allison. Her stepmother wrapped her in a tight hug, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Who knows, maybe Jo will be there too."

"I hope so," Allison replied. "Keep an eye on Kevin for me?" Zoe chuckled, squeezing her stepmother's hands.

"Always, Allison." Then, she turned to Jenna, who stood behind Allison's legs. "Aren't you going to tell me goodbye?" Zoe asked, kneeling down and holding out her arms. A moment passed before the child went to her, wrapping her arms around Zoe's neck as the teen stood. "Be good for Dad and Allison, okay, Jenna?"

"Zoe Jo." Carter shared a glance with his daughter.

"I... I'll tell Jo you say hello." Zoe said, glancing down at the little girl in her arms. She knew that Jenna had never gotten to tell Jo and Zane goodbye when they left, because she'd been at SARAH because she'd had a cold, and she knew that it hurt. She'd seen the sad look on the little girl's face when they'd all returned to the bunker, and Allison had mentioned that Jo and Zane were on their way to the airport. The child had promptly burst into tears and rushed to the door, crying for her favorite aunt.

"We'll see you for Thanksgiving. And hopefully a wedding." Allison said, as Zoe rubbed Jenna's back.

"I hope so." Zoe replied, turning at the crackling of a voice over the loudspeaker.

"We will now be boarding Flight 892, bound for Boston." She handed Jenna over to Allison and grabbed her carry-on, slinging it over her shoulder before pulling her plane ticket out of the front pocket of her carry-on. She took a deep breath, glancing back as the terminal door began to open and people started to line up.

"That's my flight." But Zoe made no move to join the line of passengers, instead staying with her family for a few more minutes. "Call me when you get settled in Seattle. I'll come down and help with the nursery." Allison nodded, shifting Jenna on her hip. "And... let me know how those job interviews work out. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. And tell Henry and Grace goodbye for me."

"We will." Allison whispered, reaching out and taking her hand. She gave the girl's hand a gentle squeeze. Fargo and Holly had left for California a day earlier, both nervous and curious about starting their new life and relationship together. Unlike Jo and Zane, who had left with excitment and open arms for the unknown, Fargo and Holly hadn't shared the same feelings, and had spent several hours debating if leaving for California was a good idea at all. They'd ended up going; leaving only Grace, Henry, Carter and Allison to finally leave the only town that felt like home to them.

"Final call, boarding Flight 892 for Boston." Zoe took a deep breath, turning back to the terminal.

"I'd better go. Can't miss my flight." She wrapped her dad in another tight hug, before going to Allison and Jenna and doing the same. Then, she made her way towards the teminal, handed over her ticket, and stopped. She turned back, waving one final time before disappearing down the terminal towards the plane. Carter and Allison watched her until the door closed, and then moved to the window to watch as the plane took off.

As Zoe settled back into her seat, she glanced out the window, watching the forests of Oregon shrink as the plane rose higher. She'd spent her formative years in that small town, tucked away in the forests of Oregon, laughing, crying, loving and hurting, surrounded by people who had grown to love her and her dad after they stumbled into the small town on that stormy, rainy night back in two-thousand six. She'd found a place to fit in in the small, quirky town filled to the brim with scientists discovering everything from the cure for the common cold (still too expensive to put on mass market, even after all these years) to making the greatest strides in space travel since the Cold War. She glanced down at the message she'd typed out, her finger hoovering over the_ Send_ button.

_Jo, Jenna says that she misses you._

Something stopped her, and she glanced out the window again. She was somewhere over Idaho or South Dakota by now, but all she saw was her family back in Eureka, the small town where she'd grown and changed, where she'd watched her best friends become engaged and then leave for the unknown. And while she returned to Harvard, to comfort and security, and a familiar routine, she realized that her two best friends were off trying to find their own familiarity and comfort, together, in a world far from the small world they'd all grown comfortable in. And then she thought of Jenna, of the tears in her eyes, and she pushed the button, tucking the phone back in her purse before pulling on her headphones and settling back to wait for the reply.


	3. Chapter 3

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Still My Best Friend**

Grace slowly rubbed Allison's back, burying her face in the other woman's hair. The two couples stood in the waiting areas, waiting to board their respective planes, saying their final goodbyes. "Be safe down there." Allison whispered through her tears. Grace nodded.

"You too. And you let us know about that baby shower- and we'll be up for Thanksgiving." The older woman said, pulling away and taking the former Medical Director's hands.

"You better. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without you two." Carter said, as he enveloped Grace in a hug. Be careful down there. Houston's pretty rough." Henry chuckled.

"Considering we'll mainly be dealing with NASA, I'm pretty sure we'll be out of harm's way, Jack." The former sheriff chuckled, tears in his eyes. Henry had decided to return to work at NASA, and Grace had agreeded to become the Head of the Psychology department at the NASA headquarters. Texas was a far cry from Oregon, but both would be doing something they loved, Jack knew.

"Let us know how it goes with Homeland." Grace said, pressing a kiss to Jack's cheek.

"Will do." He replied; he was currently awaiting word on a position at Homeland Security, but was seriously considering returning to the U.S. Marshals. He loved the thrill of the hunt too much to give it up for some idle desk job. Though he knew that the majority of jobs at Homeland was hunting domestic terrorists, he couldn't imagine doing something that seemed so perfectly suited for Jo.

Carter knew that he'd rather be back in the field as a marshal, hunting fugitives and protecting witnesses. It was his job as a marshal that had sent him to Eureka in the first place, that had cemented his life in the small town, and his deep friendship with Henry. The two were such polar opposites, but had enough common interests that they got along well. While Carter often thought of Jo as the little sister in his life, he considered Henry his most trusted confidante. Henry had accepted him when everyone- Jo, Fargo, and even Allison- had turned their noses up at him for his smug attitude when he and Zoe first arrived in Eureka. While Jo had labeled him an infiltrator, Henry had labeled him a friend, trusted source with eyes that had seen the world outside small town Eureka, and often pointed out and smoothed its flaws.

Jenna reached out for Henry, who took the little girl and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He talked the the child for several minutes, laughing as she giggled and talked childish babble to him, before Grace took the little girl in her arms and whispered goodbye. A moment passed, before Carter said,

"Henry, what you said the day Jo and Zane left-" Grace and Allison turned to their husbands, waiting for Carter to finish. He took a deep breath. "About the town being our legacy-"

Henry shook his head. "The town isn't our legacy, Jack. The people are." He took Grace's hand as Allison took Jenna back, shifting her onto her hip. "Fargo, Holly, Jenna, Zane and Jo- _they_ are our legacy. No matter where they go. Whether it's Harvard or Toronto or California, no matter where they end up, the people that lived in Eureka, that made the advancements they did, that created and discovered and _dreamed_ are our legacy. Them and all future generations are our legacy. They are Eureka's legacy."

Carter thought a moment. "Maybe not Jo and Zane's kids. They'd be more renegades and rule breakers and troublemakers than a legacy." Allison gently swatted his chest, and Henry and Grace chuckled.

"Jack, some of the most _brilliant_ minds in history were renegades and rule breakers. Zane just happens to fall into that renegade category. Look at Marie Curie, who discovered radium in a time when a female psychist was virtually _unheard_ of in the scientific community. Darwin gave us the_ Origin of Species_ in an era when evolution ruled the scientific world. Freud gave us psychoanalysis that paved the way for therapy today. These people were all considered renegades in their day; they were ridiculed and ostrasized for their work, treated as outsiders and lunatics, and yet, they gave us theories that we as a scientific community wouldn't be able to live without today. So you call Zane a renegade, and he embraces that title with open arms, because he has the _same vision_ that _every one_ of the scientists before us had- Einstein, Feynman, Galileo, Tesla, Schrodinger, they were all renegades for their time, visionaries. Zane isn't just a renegade, Jack, he's a visionary. _Allison_ is a visionary,_ Grace_ is a visionary. _Fargo_ and_ Holly_ and_ Vincent_ and _Zoe_- they are all visionaries. _They_ are the ones that are going to make this world a better place, because they_ dream_. _That_ is the true meaning of a renegade."

Carter chuckled softly, nodding as he digested Henry's words. The older man was right; renegades had made great strides in science, and he'd been around them long enough to understand that. A moment passed before he pulled away from Allison and went to Henry, holding out his hand. "You forgot someone on that list, Henry. You." The two men chuckled, shaking hands, before Carter pulled him into a hug. "You're my best friend, Henry, you know that?"

"And you're mine, Jack. And you always will be." He said, pulling away to meet his eyes. Jack nodded, tears in his eyes. "Take care of yourself up in Seattle."

"You too." The two couples talked and watched the planes take off and land, until Grace and Henry's plane landed, and the two were forced to board. As Allison and Carter watched their plane take off for Houston, she slipped her hand into his, asking,

"You've watched everyone else go off and start their new lives and legacies. Are you ready to start yours?" He glanced at her, before puling her into a kiss.

"Actually, yeah, I am."


	4. Chapter 4

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Love and War**

"It's about time you two got in!" Jo looked up as Tessa Donovan pulled the front door to her townhouse open. She sighed; they'd left Jersey two weeks earlier, crossing two states before finally making it into Boston an hour ago. Jo chuckled, watching Tessa pull Zane into a tight hug in the doorway, remembering her own father's reaction to their arrival as they'd exited the terminal. James Lupo had greeted his youngest child and only daughter with a typical Lupo greeting- scooping her into his arms and spinning her around before setting her back on her feet. He'd asked her various questions before Jo had finally pulled away and tugged Zane to her; introducing him as her boyfriend (both had agreed to wait until dinner to bring up the engagement) to which her father had offered a firm handshake.

They'd then stopped at _Luciano's_ for dinner, where they'd spent an hour catching up, until dessert, when Zane had taken her hand and started playing with her fingers. He'd then pressed a kiss to her knuckles before her lips, and Jo had seen her father's eyes spark at the glint from the ring on her finger. He'd immediately narrowed his eyes at Zane, before folding his hands and asking the dreaded, "What _exactly_ are you intentions concerning my daughter?" question. Zane had swallowed, pulling his hand away from Jo's, and removing his arm from the back of her chair. He'd instantly straightened, glancing at her for approval, to which she'd laughed, unable to hide her amusement. Zane had stammered for several minutes, before finally clearing his throat and saying,

"To marry your daughter, Sir. To make her my wife and give her the happiness she deserves. To make her a mother to the most beautiful children in the world." He'd turned his bright blue eyes to Jo, who'd then reached out and gently traced his jawline before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. She'd then curled into his side, taking his hand and lacing their fingers. Her father had watched the soft exchange with the eyes of a man who had once been as deeply in love as his daughter, and he'd relaxed his demeanor, nodding.

"And you've accepted his offer, Josefina?" He'd asked, casting a cautious eye to his daughter's face. She'd nodded, squeezing Zane's hand.

"Absolutely, Daddy. I love him." James had closed his eyes at her breathless reply, thinking back on his own romance with his wife. He'd seen the look Jo wore- once, a long time ago, on his wife's face as she'd stared at him. Once, they'd been in the same whirlwind of passion and love that Jo and Zane were wrapped in, before tragedy struck and death had ripped his beloved wife from his arms. He'd sat there, across from them, watching the love that flowed between the pair, and realized that he couldn't deny Jo the happiness he had once felt; he couldn't deny his precious daughter because of the tragedy they'd once suffered at the loss of his wife. So he'd nodded, blinking tears away, and Jo had reached out, taking his hand. "Daddy, you won't be losing me-"

"I'm just... thinking of your mother." He'd whispered, squeezing her hand. "I know she's given you her blessing from her perch in Heaven; and I can't deny you your happiness. You're clearly deeply in love, and I can't keep that from you, no matter his past or my feelings." Then, he'd reached out, taking Zane's hand and laying his over Jo's, lacing their fingers. "I expect lots of grandchildren- at least fourteen." Zane had blushed, and Jo had started in surprise.

_"Daddy!"_ James had laughed, reaching out to cradle his daughter's face in his hand.

"I approve, Josefina. You've found yourself a good man." He then turned to Zane, who had subconsciously shrunk in his seat. "You take care of her, you hear? I do not go back on my word, and I don't want to have to if I find out what kind of man my daughter truly married. Understand?" The younger man had nodded, paling.

Now, Jo watched as Tessa pulled away from her son, taking his face in her hands to study him. It was amazing how different his mother was from her father. While her father loved rules and discipline, Tessa seemed to be a free spirit in all but her home, which was as tightly held together as the coffins which lay in Arlington. "And this must be Jo." She looked up as Tessa came towards her, holding out her arms. "It's so wonderful to finally meet you, dear." She said, wrapping the younger woman in a hug. "Come on in, you must be exhausted."

As they entered the foyer, Zane had set their bags down, following his mother into the kitchen, while Jo wandered into the living room. Decked out in rich browns and reds, soft hues of green and blue, the living room was more like an old time study than a living room. A marble fireplace sat on one side of the room, with the sofa near the window, and the TV in the corner. Bookshelves lined the walls, and Jo found herself wandering to the mantel, silently studying the photographs. Photos of Tessa and Samuel Donovan on their wedding day, of her mother-in-law, of Zane, growing up. As she ran her fingers along the books on the shelves, she found a photo album, and pulled it out to flip through the photographs. Zane as a child stared back at her, and she found herself imagining the children they would have together- beautiful little girls and boys that had his eyes.

"How was your drive?" Jo instantly shut the album, rushing to put it back on the shelf as Tessa and Zane joined her in the living room, coffee in hand.

"Long." Jo replied, taking a seat on the sofa. Zane handed her a cup of coffee, stealing a soft kiss, before going to the bookshelf and pulling out the album.

"Why Josefina, snooping, are we? I didn't know you possessed that quality." He joked, joining her on the sofa as Tessa settled in the armchair across from them. Jo blushed, sipping her coffee.

"I was just... I saw a photograph of you as a kid, and... I couldn't help thinking that... our sons will look like you someday." She replied, glancing at Tessa.

"So you proposed? And I take it you accepted?" Jo nodded, holding out her hand. Tessa took it, examining the ring. "You gave her your grandmother's ring." She said, wistful.

"She told me to give it to the woman I couldn't live without." Zane replied, flipping through the album. "I can't imagine even considering living without Jo." He stopped on a photograph of his grandmother- a young woman in her early twenties, not long before Pearl Harbor, in her nursing uniform, most likely taken on the base, days or months before the attack. Jo leaned close to look at the photograph over his shoulder.

"She was beautiful."

"Just like you." He whispered, meeting her eyes. She gave him a small smile, reaching down to take his hand.

"You know the story surrounding that ring, don't you, Zane?" Tessa asked, as her son placed the album on the coffee table.

"It's the last surviving piece of the_ Arizona_, isn't it?" He asked, as Jo raised an eyebrow.

"_Arizona_. You mean the... the _U.S.S. Arizona_? The battleship that's at the bottom of the harbor?" She asked, looking from Zane to his mother and back. Tessa nodded. "No way. Seriously?" She raised her hand, studying the ring on her finger. "It's... just an ordinary ring." When she looked up next, Tessa had settled on her other side, holding out her hand. A moment passed before Jo reluctantly removed the ring from her finger, handing it to the other woman. Without hesitation, Tessa Donovan tilted the ring on its side, holding it close to Jo's eyes so she could see as she pointed out what made the ordinary piece of jewelery so special.

"Zane's grandfather was a naval captain during the war. His twin brother was also on the ship, down in the hull. His brother had a way with metal, and he wrapped a small piece of metal that had been on the ship, and wrapped it around the base of the ring. See that?" Jo leaned close, and it was then that she saw the small twist of metal wrapped around the base of the stone.

"That's the last piece of the-"

"_U.S.S. Arizona_. Yes." Jo looked up, catching the tears in her future mother-in-law's eyes. His grandfather returned to the ship and helped try to pull men free, but as the ship continued to sink, he stood on the side of that ship and talked to the men down in the hull. And then he heard his brother's voice. That was when his brother thrust a chain with this ring on it out of the porthole, and told him to give it to her as soon as he could, to not waste a second. He held his brother's hand, talking to him, telling him that they would get them out and to hang on; his voice was the last that his brother heard as he drowned in the hull of that battleship. He held his hand until he died." Gently, Jo reached up, brushing tears off the older woman's cheeks. Tessa took her hand and kissed her palm, giving her a small smile. "And he did, he made every second count. They were married by the Naval Chaplain that night. Named their firstborn son Zane after his brother." Jo's head snapped towards her fiance, who sipped his coffee.

"But-"

"Zane is a family name." He replied, taking her hand. She nodded, understanding. She looked back when Tessa held the ring out to her, and silently slipped it back on her finger. "Kind of gives you a new perspective about making life count, doesn't it?" He asked, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. She nodded.

"Yeah, it does."

"So, what's going on with leaving Oregon? Zane mentioned something about the place where you worked shutting down-" Jo glanced at Zane, licking her lips.

"Yeah, they... the government shut Eureka down, so, we all had to... find other work and other places to live. We actually, haven't fully decided on where we're going to go, but... at least we'll be together, whereever we end up." Jo replied, curling into Zane's side.

"And you've met her dad, I take it?" Zane paled, and Jo laughed.

"Yes. Zane met my dad. Scared the hell out of him, but... ultimately gave us his blessing." Jo replied.

"You take good care of her, Zane. I raised you to look out for the ones you love, to protect them. You hear?" He nodded, and after a moment, Tessa got up, going into the kitchen. "So, what would you two like for dinner? It bet it's been a while since you've had a good, home-cooked meal. Do you know if Jo has any preference to lamb or veal, Zane?" She turned when Zane laid his hand on her arm. Jo leaned against the kitchen doorway, arms crossed over her chest as she watched, silent. A moment passed, before his mother reached up, gently cradling his face in her hands.

Minutes passed, as Tessa looked into her son's bright blue eyes, seeing the little boy she'd raised since birth, grown into a strong-willed, independent, loving man, who'd made his descision to make a life with his beautiful dark-eyed former Army sergeant. Neither one spoke, but after a moment, Tessa wrapped her arms around her son's neck. Zane held his mother close, burying his face in her thick chestnut hair, rubbing her back soothingly. It was then that Jo saw exactly how close Zane and his mother were; she remembered how, in her timeline, Zane would call his mother and chat for sometimes two or three hours a day, about everything from the weather to the Red Sox. She sighed, enjoying the rare glimpse before her. Tessa whispered something in Zane's ear, and he nodded, silent. When he finally pulled away, Tessa took his face in her hands. Then, she turned towards Jo, holding out a hand. After a moment, Jo pushed away from the wall and went to them, taking her future mother-in-law's hand. Tessa said nothing, just pressed a kiss to her temple, and pulling Jo close, glancing at Zane, with a soft,

"You've chosen well. I'm proud of you."


	5. Chapter 5

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Flowers in Your Hair**

**A/N: Scott McKenzie's _San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)._**

She danced within the sunlight filtering through the bay window of their Victorian. As one of two couples sharing the rent in an old light green Painted Lady rowhouse in The Haight section of San Fran, Holly had finally found a city that was as free-spirited as she was. Laughter brought her dancing to an end, and she turned, to see Fargo watching her from the doorway. She blushed, tucking a strand of red hair behind her ear. "How did your interview go?" She asked, going to him. He accepted her quick kiss, before tugging her towards the kitchen, where he poured two cups of coffee.

"Well, you are looking at the newest Professor of Advanced Software Programming at the University of California, San Francisco." Holly's eyes widened.

"Really? Congratulations, Doug!" She wrapped an arm around his neck, kissing him sweetly. Though she still had not recovered her memory of Eureka fully, Holly had spent the last few days learning everything she could about their new home in the City by the Bay, and had done all she could to cement her relationship with Fargo. They'd spent the flight from Portland chatting and sharing stories, reacquainting each other with their lives and the various adventures they'd experienced over the years.

Moments passed, before he finally pulle away and loosened his tie. He tossed the article of clothing on the kitchen table before taking a seat and taking a sip of his coffee. "It was... nerve wracking. I haven't had to go to a job interview in years and... and suddenly, I was asking a board of strangers to give me chance for a new job in a new city, without knowing any of them."

"Well, you had Dr. Deacon's recommendation, didn't you? What did they think about that?" Holly asked, taking a seat next to him. Fargo thought a moment.

"Actually, they asked me how I knew Henry, and I told them that we'd worked together at the same company in the same small town. And then, before I could say any more, they offered me the job. They said that... that anyone with such a high recommendation from Henry, was apparently good enough and respected enough to be on on the faculty of UCSF. I start in a week, when the new semester starts."

"That's great, Doug! I'm so proud of you!" Fargo blushed.

"Turns out, one of the board members worked with Henry at NASA." Holly set her cup down, reaching out to take his hand. They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes before she asked,

"Have you... heard anything from... anyone else from Eureka?" Fargo thought a moment, before pulling his laptop towards him and turning it on. He pulled up his e-mail.

"Henry and Grace are settled in Houston, Zoe's back at Harvard, no one's heard from Jo and Zane since they left, but I got this from Allison and Sheriff Carter this morning." He said, pulling up an e-mail and clearing his throat. Glancing at Holly, he began to read.

_"Dear Fargo and Holly,_

_It's so wonderful to hear that Holly will now be teaching Kindergarten, she must be so excited. We hope your interview goes well, Fargo, and wish you the best of luck. We are comfortably settled here in Seattle; Jenna starts daycare in two weeks, and Kevin leaves for Yale in a month. In the last few days, it has rained nonstop, and so we have spent the time unpacking and getting in touch with everyone to let them know that we arrived safely. Henry and Grace are settled and happy in Houston, they send their love, and hope you are enjoying California. Zoe is back at Harvard, settling into classes and college life; the only ones we haven't heard from is Jo and Zane. We'll keep trying to get in touch with them, but so far, we, nor Zoe, nor Henry and Grace, have heard anything from them. Most likely, they are just settling down somewhere and will get in contact with us soon._

_In other news, we are trying to decide which room the nursery should be in, going through job interviews, and getting acquainted with Seattle. It's beautiful, but it rains so much! And while it's surrounded by forests, it's nothing like the quiet peace and beauty of Eureka, and we've found that we both miss that chaotic little town so very much. The baby is growing and healthy, and Jenna is absolutely excited about becoming a big sister. We will make sure to let you know when the baby shower is, and we'll try to come down and visit; it has been so long since either of us has been to San Francisco, that we're looking forward to it. _

_We send our love, and hopefully will see you soon._

_All our love, _

_Jack, Allison, Kevin and Jenna"_

Holly had propped her chin on her hand as she listened to Fargo read, and as he closed the e-mail, she sighed. "It's nice to know that they're happy in Seattle." Fargo nodded, turning to Holly and taking her hand. They sat in silence for several minutes, before he climbed to his feet.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" He rushed to the sink, and lifted out a beautiful bouquet of pink, yellow and white daisies. "I picked these up for you at a small flower shop around the corner on my way back here." He held the bouquet out to her, and slowly, Holly took it, mouth forming into a small 'o' of surprise.

"Doug, they're absolutely beautiful! I love daisies!" She then grabbed the front of his shirt, capturing his lips with hers. When they finally broke apart, she took a pink daisy from the bouquet, and tucked it behind her ear. He started.

"What are you doing?" Fargo watched in surprise as Holly climbed to her feet and went to the radio, turning it on before coming back and slipping herself into his arms.

"We live in San Franscisco, Doug. Don't you know that you're supposed to wear flowers in your hair?" She asked, as they started to dance.


	6. Chapter 6

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Old Flame New**

She sighed; it wasn't like either of them to not respond when she e-mailed or texted them. And considering the copious text messages and e-mails she'd sent, she should have gotten some sort of response by now. Then again, they were probably trying to settle into their new life, and if they were, she could forgive them for not responding. As Zoe pulled out her textbook, she didn't hear the person speak her name. "Zoe?" Her head snapped up, and she felt her eyes widen at the sight of Lucas standing before her.

"Lucas, ah... what are you doing in Cambridge? Please, sit." She hastily removed her bag from the other chair, watching at her (What? Ex-Boyfriend? Still-Wants-To-Be Boyfriend?) took a seat across from her.

"Just up for the week; I've lived in Boston for the last few years, but I've never been to Cambridge. I've got some time off, so I figure I'd come up and see exactly what Cambridge is like." Zoe nodded, silently studying him. He was of course older, not as lanky as he'd been in high school, he'd kept his hair curly instead of cutting it (why was she relieved to see that?), and he seemed more confident in himself than he had back in Eureka.

"So... did you hear?" She asked, sitting back in her seat.

"Eureka?" He nodded, sipping his coffee. "Yeah, I heard. Hard to believe it's actually shut down. Where would everyone go?" Zoe sighed.

"Dad and Allison are in Seattle, Kevin's in Connecticut at Yale- or will be in a couple days, Holly and Fargo are in California, San Fransisco of all surprises-"

"Henry and Grace are in Houston." Lucas cut her off. Zoe nodded.

"Yeah, how-"

"Got a letter from Grace a couple days ago. Said they were doing good, and finally falling into routine down there, though it's no Eureka." Zoe chuckled.

"Everywhere else is no Eureka." They lapsed into silence before he said,

"I hear Jo and Zane got engaged."

"Yeah, they... they did. She proposed to him. He accepted." She let her mind wander back to the night after learning they had only a few weeks to pack up and leave Eureka before it was shut down. She and Jo had gone to Cafe Diem for drinks, and Jo had told her how she'd planned her little proposal- and how she'd been so certain for a moment there that Zane would do what she did back in the other timeline and freeze- or worse, reject her. He'd done neither, instead, pulled her to her feet and told her 'In any timeline.' Zoe, who had teared up during the retelling, had promptly burst into tears and excited, happy hiccups for her friend. Jo had paled, afraid she'd upset her friend or drudged up old wounds from their bitter, disasterous summer that they'd silently fought over Zane, and gotten up to leave, but Zoe had chased after her, telling her that she needn't have worried; that she and Zane were perfect together in their own distructive, wild way, and that Zoe had been sorry for trying to break them apart, even if she didn't know it at the time.

Lucas sighed. "Must be nice." She raised her eyebrows, curious. "To find someone you click with." She nodded, understanding. Once upon a time, she and Lucas had clicked, they'd fallen in love, like teenagers do. Once upon a time, they'd considered going to the same school, dating all through college, getting married and having a family. And then, suddenly, their differences had spoiled the romance, and they'd called it quits. And yet, here they were, sitting across from one another, years older, wiser, a little more mature, with the world at their feet. And suddenly, all Zoe wanted was to share in the same happiness that Jo and Zane were drenched in, to experience what Henry and Grace did, to explore like Holly and Fargo, and to have the security and hope that her dad and Allison did.

"If you know someone too well, you'll never take the leap." Lucas raised his eyebrows.

"Sorry?" She snapped out of her thoughts, looking up at him.

"Oh, nothing, just... just something Jo told me once. That... you'll never take the leap if you know someone too well." He chuckled.

"Well, I hate to knock Jo, but that seemed to work out for her, right?" Zoe laughed softly, nodded.

"Yeah, I... I guess it has." She agreed, leaning forward and resting her hands on the table. "They're so... passionate about each other. Jo and Zane. It's like... they fight like cats and dogs and... get into all out war against each other, and then... somehow, someway, one of them will do or say something to break the stalemate, and they'll fall into bed together and make love and it's like... all of their problems, the very reasons why they were fighting in the first place, are gone. Like they've just... washed their hands clean of the matter. And all that really matters is how their bodies fit together, how their hands lace or the way they look into each other's eyes. It's like... like no matter how mad they are at each other, or how big the other screwed up, they're able to look past that and... realize that... that they belong together. And that's what matters."

Lucas thought a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, you're right. At the end of the day, what matters is that you belong with the person you click with." She gave him a soft smile, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

"It was good to see you again, Lucas." She put her things away and stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder and grabbing her coffee cup.

"Zoe!" She turned back as she reached for the door. He bit his lip, as though considering his words carefully. "I was wondering, would you... maybe like to go out for dinner?" Her eyes widened, and she thought back on Jo's words. In actuality, she didn't know Lucas as well as she'd once thought. Besides, it wasn't like they were going to get back together and then get married, right? After a moment, she nodded.

"Sure. Dinner sounds great."


	7. Chapter 7

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Computer Talk**

"So, how's it feel to be back at NASA, Henry?" The older man chuckled, leaning back in his desk chair. He thought a moment, putting his hands behind his head.

"Honestly, Allison, it feels pretty good to be back among my old peers."

"Don't tell me you've forgotten Eureka already!" Carter cried, coming into view of the camera. It was one of the rare days that Henry and Grace had the day off, and so they were able to Skype with Jack and Allison, who had settled comfortably in Seattle by now. Henry chuckled, as Grace snaked an arm around his shoulders and set a cup of coffee on the table.

"No, we could never forget Eureka. We just... I think we've finally settled. You know? We're finally happy." She said, as her husband pulled her into his lap.

"Good. Although, I have to say, I kind of miss the crazy experiments that used to go on. Kept me on my toes." Jack lamented, sitting back against the sofa. "After being sheriff for so long..." He shrugged. "I don't know. Somehow, going back to being a marshal just... feels wrong, in a way. If that makes sense." Grace and Henry shared a look, before she nodded.

"It makes perfect sense, Jack. You're homesick." The pair laughed as Carter started. "Considering that we have all be forced to leave the small town that we called home for so many years, it's only logical that every Eurekian would be or will be, at some point or another in their lives, yearning for what we had, and that town. We'll never get the town back, but we'll always have the friendships we created there." Henry and Carter locked eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Grace. We'll always have those friendships and families we created."

"Speaking of, have either of you heard from Jo and Zane?" Allison asked, leaning close. "I talked to Zoe recently, and she said that neither Jo nor Zane have been answering her messages or her e-mails. Which, isn't uncommon for Zane, but Jo- Jo always answers her messages."

"Maybe they've lost track of time with their new jobs?" Henry suggested.

"Or they could be on a beach in Hawaii, enjoying themselves. Or, they could be so focused on the details for the wedding- they are getting married, after all." Grace added. Jack sighed.

"Yeah, but... didn't Jo say something about wanting to wait to have the wedding? Something about until her older brother Luca got a little leave so he could be there? We all know how close she is with her brothers. I don't like it, Henry. It's not like Jo to just... drop contact with everyone and everything." Grace chuckled softly, shaking her head. "What's so funny?"

It took a moment, before the other woman was able to speak. "Honestly, Jack, if I didn't know you better, I'd say you were worried about Jo and Zane."

"Me? Worried about those two? Hell no!" The former sheriff struggled to blow it off, chuckling, but it was forced, and he couldn't hide the worry in his eyes, no matter how hard he tried. "Jo and Zane can take care of themselves. Zane's been doing it since he was a kid, and Jo's former Army, plus, from what I remember of their time at the gym, they spent a good number of hours going against each other in MMA. Those two are certainly well-versed in defense. They're like... Bruce and Brandon Lee-" But his smile didn't reach his eyes, and Henry and Grace could see the worry that radiated off him- and Allison, though she seemed to hide it better- in waves.

"Give them time, Jack. Let them enjoy themselves without us interrupting."

"I don't like it, Henry. It's been nearly two months; the last time Jo lost contact this long was during her walkabout-" He stopped, instantly noticing how Grace tensed in Henry's lap, the feel of Allison's nails digging into his hand, and the pain misting Henry's eyes. Even after everything that had happened, any mention of the failed Astreaus mission, kidnap of her crew and subsuquent residing in Virtual Eureka until they'd been saved was still a touchy subject for those who'd experienced it. Both relationships had strained under the weight of the Matrix; Henry and Grace had involuntarily split for a brief time, and Allison and Carter had been at odds over their whole relationship, but of all, the relationship that had floundered and nearly sunk had been Jo and Zane's, and everyone knew it. They'd all seen how Jo had struggled to figure out what she really wanted out of life, and how Zane had finally forced her hand with an ultimatium, to which Jo had accepted. Apparently, that had been part of what had given her the push to propose to Zane that day.

"They're okay, Jack. Just give them time. They'll get in touch when they want to." Jack nodded, knowing that Henry spoke with the voice of wisdom well beyond his years. But he glanced at Allison just the same, sharing a look of worry. And then, he voiced the fear that had been buzzing about in his head for weeks.

"Henry, what if they_ can't_?"

"You two just focus on Jenna and that baby, okay? Don't worry about Jo and Zane, they're okay. They'll get in touch with us when they're ready to." Grace cut in.

"But-"

_"Jack."_ He swallowed his protest as Grace's sharp tone. "Let it go. They can take care of themselves. Before you know it, they'll be at Thanksgiving dinner, telling us all about the crazy adventures they've had since leaving Eureka. Okay?" Carter nodded, as Grace told them goodbye and headed into the kitchen. Once she was gone, Carter turned to Henry and said,

"I can't help it, Henry. But I'm worried about them." The other man nodded.

"Me too, Jack. Me too."


	8. Chapter 8

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Covert Affairs**

**A/N: Surprisingly, the TV show _Cover Affairs_ had _nothing_ to do with the title of this chapter.**

She tossed her head, tightening her ponytail as she rushed up the steps to the worn-looking brownstone. People walked past, chatting or laughing as they dashed to get out of the rain, someone called out, and she looked up, waving to her neighbor before quickly unlocking her door and slipping inside. Silence met her as she shut the door and made her way from the foyer into the back of the townhouse, towards the kitchen. She stopped, pressing herself against the door and listening. Someone was moving around the room; her senses on high alert, she drew h. er gun from her holster and slowly made her move. "Freeze!"

The light flicked on, and it took a moment before her eyes adjusted to the light, and the image of Zane, standing in the kitchen of their brownstone, holding a cup of coffee. "You're_ dripping_ all over my floor." He muttered, as if his fiance pulling a gun on him was as casual as discussing the weather.

"Um... ah..." Bewildered, Jo slowly lowered her gun, putting the safety back on and slipping it back into her holster. "'Hello' usually comes first." She finally managed to reply. He snorted softly.

"Wipe your feet." She watched him set his coffee cup on the counter beside him, before he crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow. A moment passed, before she rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and capturing his lips in a kiss. She drank him in, grateful to be back in his arms after the insufferable day she'd had. Eventually, they broke the kiss, and she rested her forehead against his. "How was work?" She snorted softly, shaking her head.

"It's the FBI's counterterrorism division. How do you think it was?" She swallowed. "How did your day go?" She asked, kissing him gently before he could respond. He shrugged.

"The usual. I published another paper, taught a couple classes, worked on proving a few theories-" Her kiss stopped him mid-sentence, and he drank her in, cradling her head in his hand. Their bodies slid together, and he held her close, his other arm sliding around her waist and holding her solidly against him.

"So, did your students pay attention, Professor Donovan?" She asked, reaching up to run a hand over his cheek before stealing another kiss. He chuckled, nudging his nose against hers.

"Actually, they did. Surprisingly." She wrinkled her nose.

"Not so surprising when they've got such a... good-looking professor." He chuckled as she wrapped an arm tight around his neck, deepening the kiss. One hand slid up to tug at the tie that held her hair back in its restricting ponytail. Once it was free, he tangled his fingers in the soft, silky strands, holding her mouth to his in a searching kiss.

"I got a text message from Zoe." He whispered, when they'd finally pulled apart. She reached over, snatching up his cup and taking a sip.

"Oh? What'd she have to say?" Zane shrugged, taking his cup back from her to briefly take a sip before handing it back to her.

"Asked how we were doing, where we were, and why we haven't answered any of her thousand e-mails, calls and texts. Wanted to know if we were avoiding her because of the engagement. I was tempted to text her back and tell her that we weren't living very far from Cambridge, but I resisted the urge." She sighed, snatching his cup from his hand mid-sip and taking a seat at the small dining room in the middle of the kitchen. "Something wrong, Jojo?" She looked up as he took a seat beside her with another cup of coffee. Just as he raised the fresh cup to his lips, she took it, taking a sip before handing it back. It was then that he noticed that she'd downed the last of the first cup and pushed it aside. He took a sip, setting the cup between them. She sighed.

"Zane, I... They've... assigned me to a... a three week assignment in Baton Rouge." He reached out, taking her hand. His grandmother's ring glinted in the light, and he brought her hand to his lips in a soft kiss. He nodded.

"Okay." She shook her head, grabbing the cup and downing half of it in one gulp.

"No, Zane, it's not. I... they're asking me to... to leave for Baton Rouge in three weeks; that doesn't give us any time to ourselves, and you can't go with me, you have to stay here, at MIT." Tears clouded her vision, and she reached up, stroking his stubbled cheek. He nodded again.

"Okay."

"No, Zane, you don't under-"

"I understand perfectly, Jo." He whispered, reaching up and covering her hand with his. He pressed a kiss to her palm. "And I will be here when you get back. I will be here, waiting for you. I'm not going anywhere. I promise." She sniffled.

"I just... I haven't seen you in_ six weeks_, and... and now I only get three with you before I have to go off again- I don't think I can do it, Zane." He pulled her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Jojo, we knew the risks and regulations when you took the job. Henry put in a good word for you, and you've proven more than your worth in these last ten months. This doesn't change anything about us; and this _certainly_ doesn't change the fact that I want to make you my wife. I don't care where you go, just as long as I know that you're safe and that you're coming back to me in one piece,_ alive_." She nodded, looking up at him. He pressed a kiss to her lips, before climbing to his feet and pulling her to hers. They'd settled comfortably into this new life- this life outside Eureka. Sure, there had been a few months where they had to get used to not rushing off to stop the latest disaster from destroying the world, and had to remind themselves that there was no Cafe Diem, no GD, no nothing that reminded them ofthe small town they'd left behind.

Though it had taken a while, they had settled in to normal life fairly well, renting an old, worn down brownstone in the neighborhood of Sobo (South Boston, Jo had to remind herself. _That's_ what Sobo was short for, South Boston), a month after leaving Eureka. Zane's mom had been perfectly happy to have them stay with her in Dorchester, but after a few weeks, the pair had decided that they needed a place of their own, and so had gone house hunting at first chance. Not long after moving into the brownstone, Zane had started at MIT, and occasionally helped the FBI with cases (all branches of government willingly turned the other cheek to his hacking in return for his help), but even he admitted that he missed the community he had grown to love, despite being back in his hometown. They had managed to turn the old house into a home suited perfectly for a young couple just starting their life together.

Jo, meanwhile, having drawn the short straw so to speak, had started her work with the FBI, tracking terrorists with the bureau's domestic counterterrorism unit. She had quickly proven herself a valuable asset to the team, and in just a few short weeks, had become one of the FBI's top, most trusted agents. But neither was denying that Jo's constant chasing after terrorists didn't put a strain on their engagement, but never once had either brought up calling the engagement off. They were in this for the long haul.

"Come on, you're exhausted." And without another word, Zane scooped her into his arms. She wrapped her arms tight around his neck with a squeak.

"Zane!" He flicked the kitchen light off and then moved through the lower floor, carrying her upstairs to their bedroom. At the landing, he captured her lips in a deep kiss, telling her just how much she meant to him, before carrying her down the hall and into their room. The door shut behind them and he set her back on her feet, moving to stoke the fire in the small fireplace in the corner, but Jo stopped him, shoving him back against the door. "What the hell was that?" She demanded, searching his face. He grinned.

"Practice." He whispered, gently pushing her away, but she shoved him back against the door once more.

"Really? For our wedding night?" He smirked, capturing her in a deep kiss, that caused the fire in the grate to be forgotten in favor of the fire burning between them. His hands worked on the buttons of her blouse, pulling it off her, and moving to press her small, lithe body to his. Her hands moved down his chest, working quickly and expertly to undo his belt, before she looped her fingers into his jeans and tugged him close. They never broke the kiss as he walked her back; she landed among the blankets and pillows, working to shimmy out of her own jeans as he tossed his on the floor. Her body responded to every kiss, every caress, every touch like it never had before. Memories of their reunion after the rescuing of the Astreaus crew flashed before her mind, and for a moment, she reached up, gently caressing his chest, fingers resting over his heart. Zane pulled away to stare at her, and she smiled softly at him, her simple touch sending a waterfall of love and trust through his body. He returned the smile, brushing his lips lightly over hers.

They didn't say anything as they moved together, their bodies joining in that familiar dance. Only when they lay wrapped in the mess of blankets and sheets afterwards, Jo tucked comfortably against his chest, his arm around her, did either speak. "Jo," She kept quiet, tracing patterns on his chest. "I've been thinking."

"Hmm?" She snuggled into his chest.

"What do you think about an October wedding?" She pulled away, looking up at him.

"Ah... when did you decide this?" He shrugged, running his hands up and down her back. She sat up, pulling their sheets around her body. "So you just decided one day to pick the date for our wedding without even consulting me?" He sighed, sitting up against the headboard. Then, he reached for her hand, playing with her fingers.

"I didn't decide the date, I decided the month."

"Why?" She asked, meeting his eyes. He took a deep breath.

"Because Luca called one night, not long after you left for your last assignment."

"He must have called you after he called me." Zane nodded.

"Yeah, he... he mentioned talking to you briefly." He stopped, thinking about his soon-to-be brothers-in-law, off in seperate parts of the world. "And... and Luca mentioned having some leave in October, and that he was going to come stateside to visit. So, I..."

"You figured that we could work out the date so that he could be at our wedding." She finished. Zane nodded again, firmer this time.

"Yeah. I didn't decide the day, Jojo, just... just the month. You pick the day, and the time, and the decorations and... everything else that goes with the wedding. And I promise, not to be too big a pain in your ass, and to help if you need anything." She pulled away, burying her face in her hands for several minutes, before reaching out and taking his face in her hands.

"You decided on the month that my older brother would be back in the states... for me?" He nodded, pressing a kiss to each of her palms. Tears slid down her cheeks, and she took a deep, shaky breath before she kissed him deeply before pulling away. He could see the wheels turning in her head, and stayed quiet; he'd learned a long time ago, that a contemplative Jo Lupo silence meant that she was working out the minor details and making lists and rearranging how much time it would take to get everything ready. Eventually, when she'd worked everything out in her head, and come to a viable, doable, simple conclusion, she looked up at him, a small smile on her face. He wasn't expecting the next words to come out of her mouth. "Zane, what do you think about... getting married now, and having the whole wedding affair later?"


	9. Chapter 9

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- House Mates**

Fargo stretched; Holly shifted closer to him in her sleep, and he pulled away from her gently, propping himself up on his elbow to watch her. Sound asleep and snoring softly, her button nose twitching every so often, Fargo found that he couldn't understand why Fate hadn't put her in his path sooner. Why had it been the alternate timeline? Why had it been after he'd taken other Fargo's place as director of GD? Not that he was complaining, but still-

Gently, he reached out, brushing a stray red curl off her cheek, holding his breath, hoping she didn't stir. All she did was snuggle further into her pillow. He leaned over, pressing a kiss to her cheek, before climbing out of bed. After getting dressed, he silently slipped out of the bedroom and headed downstairs. Sitting at the kitchen table, were their housemates, another young couple, from Boston.

When they'd heard that they would be sharing an apartment with a couple from Boston, Fargo had hoped that it would be Jo and Zane. He'd been initally disappointed to learn that it wasn't, but hadn't given up hope that his friends would contact him soon. There was only so long Jo could go before sending out wedding invitations, and before Zane called to complain that Jo was driving him crazy. They couldn't hold out for long, Fargo was betting on it.

"Morning, Doctor Fargo." He gave the woman a small smile, accepting the coffee she handed him.

"Morning Erica. How's work going?" She shrugged.

"Eh... you got to the set, put your makeup on, get into costume and act out a few scenes. Nothing new. Oh, except Ni is offically a member of the cast as of today, so, that's pretty excting." She said, slinging her arm around her husband's neck and grinning at him. Fargo chuckled. Never, in a million years did he ever think he would share a house with a couple of actors, and yet, he found that Erica and Niall were perhaps the most down-to-earth performers he'd ever met (and he'd met very few) and he and Holly both enjoyed their company. In fact, the pair reminded them a lot of Jo and Zane- not only with their dark looks and easy-going smiles, but with their laidback personalities. The only thing that really creeped Fargo out was the show Erica was in- about a small town in Oregon, built specifically so the greatest scientists of the world could live and work. Or, as the show's tagline stated,_ Small Town. Big Secret_.

If he remembered correctly, Erica played the sheriff's deputy, who- unlike the sheriff- actually _wasn't_ a nongenius like most thought, and her husband played the troublemaking antisocial supergenius who's appearance in season two had given her character a love interest. The fact that both characters were a lot like his real-life friends, sent chills up his spine. The show was currently starting its third season, and Fargo had discovered that the sci-fi drama had become Holly's guilty pleasure. He was even getting into it, not that he'd tell anyone. The thing that truly creeped him out beyond all reason was the show's title- _Eureka_. The next time he talked to Jo, he'd have to ask if the government had released anything about their former town to the public without telling them.

"So, how are things with you? You and Holly going to tie the knot anytime soon? I mean you've obviously exchanged keys already." Niall asked; Erica slapped him light, glaring at him, but he chuckled, taking a seat across from Fargo. They even acted like Jo and Zane. Maybe siblings neither knew they had?

"I think it's sweet that you're helping Holly try to regain her memory. Has she made any progress?" Erica said, joining them. She set her cup down, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. Fargo shook his head.

"Some. Not much. Little things, but... nothing major. The doctors aren't sure if she'll ever get her memory back." The other couple nodded, and Erica reached out, taking his hand.

"If you ever need help with anything, we're here for you." Fargo gave her a soft smile as she squeezed his fingers; he had to admit, that over the last few weeks, he and Holly had become good friends with the other couple. The trio looked up to see Holly enter, still in her pajamas.

"Oh, hello." She looked around quickly, her eyes landing on Fargo's hand in Erica's. "Am I... interrupting something?" She asked, turning to go, but Erica got up, putting her cup in the sink.

"No, it's okay Holly. You're not interrupting anything. We actually have to get to work." The other woman said, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder before tightening her ponytail.

"Oh, you... work on a Saturday?" Holly asked. Erica glanced at Niall as he stood and placed his cup in the sink. She bit her lip, before,

"Not usually, but today, unfortunately yes. We are behind schedule, even though we have the last three episodes already filmed and edited, Andrew still wants to film a few scenes to add to the last episode." She sighed, grabbing her keys.

"Oh! Are Zane and Jo _finally_ going to get together?" Holly asked, suddenly perky and excited to discuss her latest obsession. "They _have_ to after that kiss in the burning ruins of her house, especially since Zane was the one that burned it down. He kind of owes Jo a lot, after pulling that stunt." The couple shared a glance, before turning to Fargo. His mouth hung open, just as clueless as they were in how to respond. "And we all know that Carter and Allison are going to get together; that's been obvious since the_ Pilot_. But Jo and Zane's relationship is the real trump card- will they, won't they, will they move in together, or will they just continue to sleep together- and especially after how Zane walked out after Jo didn't answer his proposal in the sheriff's office, I think he should really work to win her back-"

"Holly," The redhead stopped as Erica gently raised her voice, holding up a hand. "We'll debate when we get home. And then... dinner at _Fog Harbor_?" She asked Fargo, referring to the restaurant that had become the two couples' monthly eatery. He nodded, and she gave him a thumbs up before the two disappeared through the front door. Once they were gone, Holly went to him, perching on his lap.

"I like them. They're really nice and really fun. You know they kind of remind me of-"

"Yeah, I know." Fargo whispered, kissing her gently. Yeah, a call to Jo was_ definately_ in order.


	10. Chapter 10

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Little Girls**

Jenna squealed, rushing to Carter as he came up the steps. "There's my little girl!" He said, scooping the child up and kissing her cheek. She giggled, pressing a sloppy kiss to his cheek in return, before wrapping her small arms around his neck. He looked up when Allison stepped onto the front porch of their home in Haller Lake, in north central Seattle. He gave her a soft smile, noticing the small bulge of her belly. Four months into her pregnancy, and she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. "How was your day, Ali?" He asked, going to her and kissing her quickly.

"Good. Work was... good. The usual doctor-patient visits. Couldn't wait to pick Jenna up from daycare though. Oh, and... I have a surprise for you." She whispered, pulling him to her once they were inside and the door shut behind them. Carter set Jenna down and wrapped his wife in his arms.

"Oh? And what surprise is that?" He asked, rubbing her back. She thought a moment, before leaning up to whisper,

"How do you feel about the name Evelyn?"

He thought a moment, digesting the question, before, "I think it's a beatiful name, why?" She grinned and it took several minutes for her words to register in his head. And once they did, "Seriously? A... a girl? We're having a girl?" She nodded. He pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head.A moment of silence filled the room, before he chuckled. "We're having a little girl... I can't believe it."

"Are you disappointed we aren't having a little boy?" Allison asked, looking up at him. He shook his head.

"No. No, not at all." He whispered, laying a hand on her belly. Eventually, he pulled away, going into the kitchen. "SARAH-" He stopped, realizing, as Allison chuckled. "Even four months later, habit."

"I know. It's been hard, adjusting to not having a smart house."

"It's hard adjusting to not having advanced high-tech _anything_." Carter corrected, pouring a glass of orange juice and taking a sip. "And it feels weird, you know? The whole... not needing security clearance to go somewhere as simple as the store." He shook his head as Allison joined him. "I can only imagine how you must feel- not having all those fancy medical toys to play with." Allison shrugged, taking a seat at the island counter.

"Honestly, I don't care about the technology, or the equipment, I just care about us. As long as I have you and the kids, we could be living in a ditch somewhere, and I'd be perfectly happy." Carter chuckled, leaning on the counter. "I love you, Jack."

"I love you, Ali." She leaned close, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. "So, have you considered a middle name for our little girl?" Allison thought a moment, before shrugging.

"I was thinking Abigail." Then, she moved around the counter towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "What do you think? Evelyn Abigail?" He let the name roll around in his head for several minutes, before grinning at her.

"It's perfect." Their quiet bliss was interrupted when Jenna rushed into the kitchen; Carter instantly scooped the little girl up, smothering her with kisses.

"Are you okay with raising only little girls?" Allison laughed, watching Carter play with her daughter. He set Jenna on the counter, pressing a kiss to the little girl's forehead. "Wouldn't you rather have a son?" Carter shook his head as Jenna wrapped her small arms around her father's neck.

"No. I'm perfectly happy with my girls. Just as long as they are happy and healthy, that is all I care about." Allison sighed, gently caressing her belly.

"I just wish the rest of our family were here." She murmured; Carter gave her a confused glance, before nodding in understanding. "They should be here, not just when they're lives allow them a few days off and time to get away from the office. Henry and Grace should be here instead of in Texas, California isn't the place for Holly and Fargo, Zoe and... and Kevin... and Jo and Zane... they don't belong in Boston-"

"Actually, I think Jo and Zane belong anywhere on the upper northeast coast. They're both... Easterners, remember?" He asked. Allison chuckled, gently cradling her belly.

"I know, but... but they should be here, celebrating this with us. This is _their niece_." Gently, Carter reached out, brushing a tear off her cheek. "You've seen how close Jo is to Jenna. And she adores Henry... they're our family, Jack. We need them here."

A moment passed, before he set Jenna back on her feet, before moving around the island and gathering her in his arms. He held her close, pressing a kiss to her head. They stood in silence, letting their thoughts envelope them; thoughts of the friends who had become their family in that small town filling their minds. Allison had taken it hard; not having Grace and Jo there. Even if neither woman had children of their own, Allison still wanted to share this experience with them. They were her best friends, the only two other women in GD that Allison trusted. Jo and Grace had been there when Allison needed them; they had helped with every major disaster since coming to the new timeline; she had looked on both Grace and Jo as sisters, and Allison hadn't wanted to let either of them go when they'd left. A moment passed, before Allison whispered, "I want my family here, Jack. They should all be here with us. To help us raise our little girls."

Jack sighed. "Ali, honey, we can't. We can't ask Henry and the Fargo to pack up their lives and join us in Seattle, and we certainly can't ask Jo and Zane when we can't even_ find_ them." But he saw the look on her face, and pressed a kiss to her temple. "But I promise, I will make sure they spend as much time as possible with our girls."


	11. Chapter 11

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Family Portrait**

The music floated through the small cafe Zoe and Lucas were in, but she didn't notice. They'd just come from a late dinner and movie, and were now sitting together on a sofa in the corner of the cafe, near the fire. She found that she was actually having a good time, despite the ball of nerves in her stomach. They'd chatted over their classes and what their plans were for after they were finally done with school, and the (very tender) subject of what had happened to the town they'd grown up in.

"What do they do with military towns, anyway?" She asked, taking a sip of her latte. Lucas sighed, thinking.

"Usually, the military comes in and shuts the buildings down, followed by removing all projects to a secure location. And then they remove all people from the town. Or, at least, that's what they did with Atomic City after they dropped the atomic bomb on Japan."

"So like... Burning Man, out in the Nevada desert every August?" Zoe asked. Lucas gave her an odd glance, before nodding.

"Yeah." He replied, taking a sip of his coffee. "Basically."

They lapsed into silence for several minutes, and Zoe nervously ran her hands over her dark green sweater. She'd fused and worried over what to wear for two hours, until her roommate suggested the sweater, a pair of jeans and her light brown heels. She'd considered canceling and staying home, but her roommate shoved her out the door, telling her she wasn't allowed back in until her date was over.

"So... where are you going to go after graduate?" She asked, looking up at him. He thought a moment, chuckling.

"Um... well, I've got an... iterment professor position offered at MIT. And one at Yale." Zoe's eye widened.

"Wow. That... that's great. So... so you'd be at..." He nodded.

"Yeah, as a professor." He blushed. "And... and you?"

"Well, I was going to intern under Allison at GD, but now that Eureka's gone... that's out."

"Didn't you say that they live in Seattle? Couldn't you do your internship there?" Zoe bit her lip.

"I guess I could. And... I could be there when the baby's born... and I'd already be there for Thanksgiving so..." She stopped. "But no one else would be. And... that's what Allison loves about the holidays- having everyone there. Grace and Henry and Fargo and-"

"The whole family." Luca finished. She nodded, looking up at him.

"Yeah, the whole... mismatched family." She chuckled.

"What's so funny?" He raised an eyebrow as his ex-girlfriend burst into giggles. It took Zoe several minutes to catch her breath before she managed to choke out,

"Nothing I... just..." To be honest, she couldn't exactly describe _what_ was so funny. But the last time they'd all gotten together- the day Zane and Jo left- for one finally "family photograph" as her dad liked to call them, it had been so completely chaotic she had been surprised they'd been able to get a decent photograph out of the bunch. Now, though, she pulled the photo out of her purse, handing it to Lucas as she caught her breath. "That was... the last photograph we all had together." She said, coughing. "It was the day Jo and Zane left for... wherever the hell they are now. We haven't heard a thing from either one. No matter how many messages we leave them." She clarified. Lucas nodded. "And... Dad wanted one more family photo, to take with them to Seattle. He later sent one to everyone. And... he had us all gather together out in front of Cafe Diem, and he tried to get us all to-" She stopped, posing momentarily. Lucas laughed.

"Let me guess, posing didn't work?" Zoe shook her head.

"Not at all. Fargo and Holly were... I'm not sure what they were doing, Henry and Grace were chatting with Allison, Vincent was passing out baskets for our trips, Jenna was running around like children do, and Zane and Jo..." She laughed, taking a sip of her coffee. "Zane and Jo were standing a little further away from everyone else, making out. When Dad saw that, he just about blew his top, he was so embarrassed." Lucas chuckled.

"Then, again, not unheard of. Haven't those two always... run on their sex drives?" Zoe nodded.

"Yeah. So Dad implemented the three foot rule for them, caught Jenna up and dumped her in Jo's arms, took Vincent's baskets away from him, and got Fargo and Holly to stop whatever they were doing so we could take the picture." She glanced down at it, seeing the familiar faces of her family and friends. Fargo and Holly stood together, holding hands; Henry had his arm around Grace's shoulders, and she rested her head on his shoulder. She and Kevin were sitting on the ground, knee to knee with Vincent, who had joined them; her dad his Allison against his chest, her arms tight around his waist; Jenna was clinging to Jo's neck, head resting on her shoulder, and Zane had his arms tight around Jo from behind, his chin resting on her other shoulder. The photograph was all smiles and happiness; hiding the tears that came after, and the promises to keep in touch.

"Hard to believe that town's no longer there." Lucas whispered. Zoe nodded.

"Yeah. Dad... he tried to hold her back; refused to let her go when they finally left. For a moment, I was afraid he would climb onto the roof or handcuff them together, but... but he let her go. Let them go."

"It's got to be hard for your dad. He protected that town for..."

"Seven years." She whispered. He nodded.

"And... seeing them all go in different directions... I can't imagine the emotional turmoil he's probably still going through."

"He hides it, but... shutting the town down... it affected him. A lot. More than anyone else, I think." Zoe choked out.


	12. Chapter 12

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Family Reunion**

Jo took a deep breath, smoothing down the skirt of her simple strapless, knee-length white dress with the rusched bodice and organza overlay. She fussed silently with the black sash that was tied around her waist; her long dark hair was down around her shoulders in loose curls, with a neck-length two-tiered wedding veil tucked within her dark curls, and she wore a pair of simple black heels. Her makeup was minimal, the way she liked it, and she fidgeted with the skirt of her dress, the simple bouquet of red roses a sharp contrast against the white of her dress and the black sash. "I've... never been so nervous in my entire life." Tessa chuckled, reaching out to gently brush a wayward curl off her soon-to-be daughter-in-law's cheek.

"You'll be fine. And you look beautiful." A blush crept over Jo's cheeks as she glanced down at her dress.

"Thank you, Tessa."

"Mom." Tessa corrected. Jo met her eyes.

"Mom." The two women embraced, and Jo found herself thinking of her own mom. She hoped that she was here, watching today. It wasn't the white wedding she'd dreamed of as a child, but that didn't matter. She was marrying the man she loved; from this point on, she'd be his wife, and that was all that mattered. When she pulled away, they turned; James was talking quietly with Zane, who seemed more nervous about talking with his soon-to-be father-in-law than marrying her. Jo took a deep breath. "It doesn't seem real."

"It won't, for the first couple days, and then it hits you. That you're married to the love of your life."

"I hope so." Tessa chuckled, wrapping an arm around Jo's shoulders.

"I want you to know, that it's not _easy_ being a Donhovan bride in this family. Take it from me. And know that I will be here whenever you need anything, okay, Jo?" The younger woman nodded, as her father and Zane joined them.

"You look beautiful, Peanut." James whispered, wrapping his daughter in a hug.

"Thanks, Daddy. I'm sorry this isn't exactly walking me down the aisle-" James chuckled.

"That doesn't matter, Josefina. All I care about is that you're happy." He pressed a kiss to her head, before pulling away. "Are you happy?" She nodded.

"Happier than I've ever been." James nodded, squeezing her hands, before pulling away. He gently pushed Jo into Zane's arms.

"You take care of her, you hear?" Zane nodded, wrapping his arms around Jo from behind. She shivered at his warm kiss on her neck, and turned to look up at him. She seemed to think, but before she could say anything,

"Are we ready?" All four turned to the Justice of the Peace, and Jo and Zane nodded, before asking for a moment. She turned back to him.

"Zane, this... this doesn't feel right." His brow furrowed.

"What do you mean, Jojo?" She swallowed, taking a deep breath.

"I... Henry... Henry should be marrying us." Gently, he reached up, catching the tears as they fell from her eyes, so she didn't smudge her makeup. Her voice choked with tears, and she struggled to keep from chuckling as he pressed a kiss to her head. He held her in his arms for several minutes, before,

"He will." He pressed another kiss to her head. "He'll marry us, Jojo. I promise. One way or another, he'll marry us." She looked up at him, and after a moment, the two burst out laughing, lost in a private joke. The justice cleared his throat gently, hating to interrupt such a tender moment between the pair.

"Are we ready to go?" They nodded, stepping up to join him. Zane and Jo were greatful for the quiet of the Boston Police Department (and once they'd explained the reason behind wanting to be married at the station) the others had agreed. But they weren't entirely alone- several of the officers (most of whom had dealt with Zane over his childhood life of petty crime, and had helped his mother reign her son in over the years) were gathered, watching the young man they'd watched grow up marry the love of his life.

"I just wish-" Zane squeezed her hand, lacing their fingers.

"I know, Jojo. So do I." It had been too risky (what with Jo's job at the FBI, and, right now, Zane's consulting on the case she was working on) to contact anyone from their old life in Eureka. In fact, they'd had to be as discreet as possible in regards to their friends and family from the small Oregon town, and basically had to ignore the multiple calls and texts and e-mails they'd recieved over the last few months. With the high priority concerning the case Jo had been working on and off along with her other cases, any sort of communication with anyone other than their immediate family had slipped their minds. With one last clearing of his throat, the Justice began.

"I have performed hundreds of civil ceremonies over the years, and this one is no exception. I have often told the couples I marry that it doesn't matter the size or expense of the wedding, the only thing that truly matters is that the couple who intends to make the rest of their life together, is here, along with the people who care about them. This is the couple's time to give their vows and make their promises to each other, as with any wedding ceremony. It is your choice to celebrate how you wish, because it is the coming together of two lives, to create one." He nodded to Zane, who squeezed Jo's hand, giving her the floor. She took a deep breath.

"Zane," She cleared her throat softly, looking up into his eyes. "You told me once that sometimes all you needed was a spark. And you were right. I need that spark to live, to breathe, to love. You are my other half, my partner, in every way. I... lived for a short time without you and it nearly killed me. I saw what my life was like without you, and... I can't imagine ever living that way again. I want to get into as much trouble as possible with you, just so I can haul your sorry ass out of it. I want to do so much, and I want to do it with you by my side. Always with you by my side, Zane. I love you." He gave her a soft smile, as she squeezed his hand gently, letting him know that it was his turn.

He swallowed, glancing at his mother before turning his gaze back to Jo. "Ah... when I met you, Josefina, I was a kid. We were... on opposite sides of the cell bars, but that didn't mean I didn't want you any less. I wanted to know all about you- and we danced around each other for two years, as adversaries, refusing to get along, like a couple of spoiled children refusing to share. And then, suddenly, we just... clicked. We felt that spark. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, forever. I want to drag you into trouble just to get you to loosen up and enjoy yourself. I want to take life head on, with you by my side. You've already made an honest man of me, and now we're making it official. I love you, Josefina." She choked out a soft chuckle, squeezing his hand.

"Very well. Zane, do you promise to be there for Josefina, to love and protect and honor her, to care for her in sickness and in health, through good times and bad, as long as you both shall live, until death do you part?" Zane squeezed her hand tight after sliding the ring onto her finger.

"I do."

"And Josefina-"

"I do. Yes! Absolutely-" She stopped, glancing at the justice, her smile fading. She quickly cleared her throat, military upbringing kicking in. "Sorry, Sir." The justice chuckled good naturedly, and quickly repeated the question. Glancing at Zane, she squeezed his hand as she slid the ring onto his finger, choking out, "I do. Absolutely."

"Then, by the power vested in me, by the state of Massachusetts, I prounce, before God and these witnesses, you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

And without another word, Jo threw her arms around Zane's neck. Their lips crashed together, and he stumbled back, regaining his balance once his arms were around her small waist. All too quickly, he pulled away, nudging his nose against hers. Silently, they mouthed tender exclaimations of love, to the applause and cheers of congratulations. Once Zane set her back on her feet, the justice went to them, shaking their hands. "Congratulations, you two." He looked up as the three joined their parents. "I can say I've married hundreds of people in various places, but this is the first time I've ever performed a wedding ceremony in a Boston Police jail cell." Jo and Zane laughed. "So, what exactly is the story, why the police station?" He asked gently. Jo glanced at Zane, who squeezed her hand as the exited the cell.

"We met at the jail, in the town where we both worked. I was deputy and Zane was the new resident-"

"Even a hundred miles away in Oregon, your son _still_ couldn't keep outta trouble, huh, Tessa?" One of the officers (an Officer Matter, who had grown up with Tessa, and whom Zane considered a father-figure, though not enough to heed his warnings as a troubled teen) asked, joining the small group. Tessa shook her head.

"He was out of my jurisdiction by then, Jamie." She replied, holding up her hands.

"And in mine." Jo replied. "We spent... two years dancing around each other and, then we just... stopped." Jo said, looking up at Zane. He grinned, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"We decided to give being friends a shot, and then instead of adversaries, lovers." Zane said, meeting her gaze. She wrapped an arm around his waist.

"We tried our hardest not to skip past the 'being friends' part." Jo clarified at the justice's odd look. "And... then he..." She glanced back at Zane, who squeezed her waist gently, telling her it was okay. "And then he proposed and I froze. We didn't speak for a while, and then we got back in contact, and..." She shrugged. "One thing led to another and I proposed to him and he... accepted. And... along the way we... we fell in love." She whispered.

"And the jail cell?" Tessa asked; Zane had never told her the whole story behind their engagement. Zane sighed.

"I recreated- we both, actually- recreated the day we first met."

"In the sheriff's office. In the jail cell." Jo added.

"Well, that is quite a story." The justice replied, pulling out the marriage license (which they'd had notorized before the ceremony) and laying it on a nearby desk. He handed the pen to Jo. "If I could just have your signatures." Jo glanced at Zane, giving him a big smile before leaning over and writing her name (maiden, she had to remember, maiden on the license) before handing the pen to Zane. Quickly, he signed, that familiar, neat scrawl she loved so, before setting the pen down and nudging his nose against hers. She giggled, reaching up to cradle his face in her hand, staring into his eyes for several minutes before kissing him. When they finally pulled away, Jo turned to Tessa, who opened her arms to her daughter-in-law. Jo let herself relax into her mother-in-law's embrace, blushing at the tears filling her eyes.

"Welcome to the family, Jo." Tessa whispered, pressing a kiss to her temple. Jo whispered her thanks as the pair broke apart, turning to see James talking softly with Zane. Jo chuckled through her tears; she knew that her father hadn't approved of her relationship with Zane, in fact, he'd fairly ranted whenever she brought the younger man's name into the conversation. Now though, she knew that her dad was welcoming Zane to the Lupo clan in his own way, chatting with him over God knew what, and steering clear of his criminal past (although the pardon came up once or twice, Jo could tell from Zane's frantic nodding), and after a moment, she excused herself from Tessa to rescue her husband.

"Daddy, play nice. Or... at least try to." She joked, an arm going around Zane's waist. She snuggled into his side; he habitually wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple. James gave her a soft smile, and Jo went to her father, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "Do you think Mama's happy? Even if it's not a traditional Catholic wedding, like Ricco and Amy had?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder. James chuckled softly.

"Traditional doesn't matter to her, Josefina. Just as long as you find your happiness, that's all she ever wanted- all we both ever wanted for you." Jo sniffled, buring her face in her father's neck.

"I wanted her here." He swallowed at her muffled reply.

"She is, sweetheart. She's here, smiling down on you. I know she is." He pressed a kiss to her forehead when he pulled away, and then gently pushed her back towards Zane, who was talking with his mom. "Go." Jo moved to join him, before turning back to her father. Before James could say anything, Jo had rushed to him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck.

"Don't cry, Daddy. He loves me." And she pressed a kiss to his cheek, both unaware of the image frozen forever in time, taken by one of the officers who dappled in photography. When she finally pulled away, Tessa and Zane had joined them.

"Well, shall we head back to the house? Have a quiet dinner? Just the family?" She asked, smiling at her daughter-in-law. Jo nodded, glancing at her father, who pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

By the time they reached Zane and Jo's townhouse, the nerves felt during the ceremony had lessened greatly. Over a (not so quiet) dinner (Jo's two oldest brothers, Ricco and Davie, who were both stateside temporarily, and their families had managed to get to Boston for their baby sister's wedding ceremony), Tessa and James shared stories about their children that embarrassed both Jo and Zane. As they all settled in the living room over dessert, Zane picked up the phone, his stomach dropping as he thought about the latest assignment most likely waiting for Jo on the other end of the line. Thankfully though, he got a pleasant surprise when he heard his last brother-in-law's voice. After several minutes of soft conversation, he handed the phone to Jo, wrapping an arm around her waist as he settled beside her on the sofa.

"Hello?" She stopped, a gasp softly escaping her throat. _"Luca?"_ Tears promptly began sliding down her cheeks, and she turned to Zane, reaching up and gently brushing her fingers over his cheek. He grabbed her hand, kissing her fingertips lightly before giving her a soft smile. "H... hold on, let me put you on speaker."

And suddenly, Luca Lupo's voice filled the living room, to excited tears and shouts from his older brothers and in-laws. "So, I hear that our little Who just tied the knot." He drawled; Jo could hear the smile tugging at his lips as he spoke. "Might I ask, exactly what sort of lunatic did she marry? Who was the poor psycho that got roped into marrying my baby sister? And exactly how badly do I need to pummel his ass?" The others all laughed as Zane paled beside Jo, who curled into his arms.

"Very funny, Luc." Jo replied, looking up at Zane. "Zane may be a troublemaker, but he didn't do anything. _I_ asked _him_ to marry_ me_."

"You asked him?" Luca whistled low. "You must really have him whipped- either really whipped or scared as hell. Speaking of which, he's not putting up with any of your crap, is he, Josie?"

_"What's that supposed to mean?"_ Jo asked, sitting up. The others laughed.

"From what we can tell, Luc, Josie's behaving herself." Ricco called as his oldest, six-year-old Samantha (or Sami as her family affectionately called her), climbed into his lap and curled against his chest. "Then again, we haven't had a lot of time to check on her for you." Everyone knew how close Jo and Luca were; the two youngest of the Lupo children had endured absolute torture at the hands of their older brothers. Ricco and Davie had made a point of tormenting their younger siblings growing up; from tauntings to pranks to everything in between, Jo and Luca had fought with Ricco and Davie- and even against each other- for everything as kids in South Jersey.

Of the four, Jo and Luca had spent a good majority of their childhood going after one another, and when not against each other, against their older brothers together. Luca had been the one to teach Jo to box; in return, she'd taught him interrogating (quite useful when it came to discovering the tricks and pranks Ricco and Davie had often planned to pull on them), and together, the two had taken MMA, often becoming each others' sparring partner. Of the four siblings, Jo and Luca had rebelled the most- running away, shoplifting, breaking and entering; everything from hotwiring their dad's mustang, to forging signatures, to impersonating flight attendants, to hitchhiking down to Atlantic City for the Fourth of July. They'd been each others' partner-in-crime, confidante, protector. Luca had kept a close eye on his baby sister, he'd also kicked her ass more than once; he'd given her more than one black eye and busted lip over the years, and in a way, taught his tomboyishly-girly little sister how to fight back and defend herself. And for that, Jo couldn't help but be grateful. The fact that he'd gotten a chance to call her on her wedding day just meant so much more.

"Seriously, you're okay, Josie?" Luca asked, voice softening on the other end of the line. Jo scooted towards the edge of the sofa, leaning towards the phone. She sniffled, unable to keep the tears at bay.

"Yeah, I'm okay, Luc. I found a good guy."

"Hopefully not _too_ good. You're certainly no goody-two-shoes, and you shouldn't have to put up with one for the rest of your life." Jo laughed through her tears.

"He's just perfect for me, Luc-"

"He's a felon!" Davie cut in.

"Hey! Do the words "presidental pardon" mean_ nothing_ to you?" Zane snapped, offended. Jo chuckled, as Luca clucked his tongue.

"A felon? Well, takes a felon to know a felon, right, Josie-Lou-Who?" Luca asked, laughter in his voice.

_"Hey!_ I was _not_ the _only one_ fingerprinted and thrown in that holding cell that night, idiot! You were_ right there with me_!" Jo replied, some long-ago memory drudging up through the mist of years.

_"What?"_ She looked up at her older brothers and in-laws, a blush creeping into her cheeks. Silence fell between the two youngest siblings momentarily. Jo bit her lip, quiet.

"Josie and I _may have_... set the Wilkinson garage on fire... and accidentally burned down the house."

"Whoa, that summer it was so rainy?" Davie asked. Jo's teeth dug deeper into her lower lip. "The summer before Dad shipped you both off to military?" He glanced at Ricco. "That was _you two_?" All four Lupo siblings remembered the summer the Wilkinson's house caught fire and burned to the ground (thank God the couple had been in Idaho visiting family), leaving the garage smouldered and black but still standing. All of South Jersey had been in a panic, and James had responded to the panic and fear by shipping his two youngest to military school at the end of the summer holiday. "And you actually _got caught?"_

"Dad turned us in- four weeks later." Davie started, surprised.

"So it was the two of you, who were setting South Jersey ablaze those four weeks in July." He whistled low, impressed.

"The only reason we got caught was because we had tried to burn Mrs. Pagalia's shed down and ended up setting Josie's hair on fire instead." Luca muttered, as if it were all Jo's fault that their four-week arson spree had ended in county jail.

"Well if you hadn't gotten the candle so close maybe my _hair wouldn't have caught fire_!" Jo snapped.

"And if you'd _cut your hair_ like Ricco suggested, we wouldn't have had a problem!" Luca fired back. Ricco burst out laughing, amazed to learn of his youngest siblings' criminal pasts. Hell,_ he'd_ fallen for the intricate, carefully constructed lies the two had weaved as children, believing everything his wide-eyed baby brother and sister had told him. He caught the surprised look on Zane's face.

"Starting to regret joining this family?" Ricco asked. After a moment, the younger man shook his head.

"No. Just... surprised that Jo was such... trouble growing up." James laughed.

"You don't know the half of it, Zane." He said, patting his son-in-law's back before getting up. "All four of them gave me Holy Hell, but Jo and Luca were the worst." Zane didn't have to look at Jo to know the face she was making at her father's back. Luca sighed.

"But seriously, Josie, are you happy?" Jo glanced at Zane, taking his hand and threading their fingers.

"Yeah. Never been happier, Luc." She whispered, leaning over and stealing a soft kiss from Zane's lips. He drank her in, deepening the kiss as he pulled her onto his lap. She curled into his arms, tucking her head beneath his chin.

"Good. I wish I could have been there-"

"You will be," Zane cut in, speaking for the first time since Davie had brought up his pardon. "We're having the actual blessing- blessing, right, Jojo?" She nodded, squeezing his hand. It had taken some time, but Jo had finally managed to convince Zane to have their blessing ceremony at the Catholic church in October (he still didn't get the big deal about a blessing by the Catholic church, it wasn't like they were regular churchgoers), so Luca could be there. "-ceremony in October. We just... wanted it to be a quiet little affair between family this time. We'll invite the friends later."

"I'm surprised Dad agreed to a civil ceremony instead of forcing the wedding ceremony." Jo snorted.

"Dad can't do much anymore, Luc, it's my life. I didn't want to wait."

"As long as you're happy, Josie. That's all that matters." Silence fell for several minutes, as she struggled to keep from bursting into tears. "Look, I gotta get going, but I just wanted to call, and check in on you. Glad to hear you're doing good, sis. And that you're happy. Zane, welcome to the family. I'll see you both for the blessing ceremony in October. Love you, Josie-Lou-Who." Wiping tears off her cheeks, Jo choked out,

"Love you too, Luca." When the phone call ended, Jo sighed and turned to James. "I wish he'd been here. It's not fair that Ricco and Davie got to be here, and Luca's overseas, in harm's way. It's not fair." A moment passed, before she slid off Zane's lap and got up, going to her dad, who stood near the bookcase, lost in thought. James wrapped her in a hug, rubbing her back.

"I know, Peanut. But right now, he's safe. Just... keep Luc in your prayers. Keep him in your prayers." She nodded, curling into his embrace again. Moments passed before the other adults headed into the kitchen for coffee and the cake Tessa had made for the dinner, leaving Jo and her dad in the living room with her nieces and nephews. Several minutes passed before James went to to the stereo and turned it on.

"Daddy? What are you doing?" But she stopped when she heard the familiar words. James went to her, holding out his hands.

"May I have this dance?" She couldn't stop the smile, and she let him take her in his arms. They waltzed around the living room, memories of doing this when Jo was a child of four and five, balanced on the tops of his shoes, with pink ribbons in her long black curls, as his wife watched from the kitchen. The memory faded, he was actually amazed that she had allowed him to dance with her; when she'd hit sixteen, Jo hadn't wanted anything to do with James or his parenting. He'd tried his hardest to steer his kids on the right path, and somehow, Jo and Luca had veered off in an entirely different direction, rebelling as much as they could, even those first couple years in military school. But when they came home, Jo always made a point of kissing James on the cheek; the only contact she would allow her father- no hugs, no parenting of any kind.

He knew, that subconsciously, Jo blamed him for her mom's death. But he'd been powerless to stop the crash that had killed her, and even if he had, the cancer that had taken refuge in her ovaries was too far along that she wouldn't have survived anyway. For some unknown reason, his wife had been marked for death long ago, leaving him to raise four children in the tangled, twisted, burning ashes of an accident that could have been prevented if the occupants of the other car hadn't been out drinking. So, moving from one base to the next, James had turned to discipline, the only thing that could possibly rein in his wild youngest. But now, as he danced with Jo, he had to admit that she- and Luca- had turned out well, despite their wild childhood.

"I've lost my baby girl." Jo's head snapped up, and the wide-eyed look she wore told him he'd spoken out loud. A moment passed, before she pressed a kiss to his cheek, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I love you, Daddy." He whispered it back softly to her, catching his son-in-law's eye. Zane gave him a soft smile, before gently cutting in as the music changed.


	13. Chapter 13

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Worry No More**

**A/N: This story is going off the fact the last episode aired in July 2012, which would make Allison's due date in March 2013. **

"So, you ready to head up to Seattle?" Grace looked up as Henry entered the living room. She sighed.

"I... yeah. I just..."

"Something wrong?" He took a seat beside her, reaching over to take her hand. "Grace, what's bothering you? Huh?" Several minutes passed, before she spoke, tears in her eyes.

"I just keep thinking about... how it's funny, that we all get together for Allison's shower the week after Halloween, you know? And then Thanksgiving is two weeks away, and then there's Christmas, and we're away from our family, clear out here in Houston-" Gently, Henry gathered her in his arms. "I miss them, Henry. What... what if we get up there, and everything's changed? Everyone's changed? What if Allison and Carter decide they don't want anything to do with us anymore? Or if Holly suddenly remembers everything, or if Zoe reverts back to-"

"It's not going to happen, Grace."

"You don't know that. Eureka was the thing that kept us all together, and because it's gone-"

"Just because Eureka no longer exists, that doesn't mean that the friendships and families we've built stop existing, Grace, you know that. Allison has been planning this shower for weeks; she'll be estatic that we've managed to show up. And Zoe, and Holly and Fargo and Jo and Zane-"

She sighed, pulling away and brushing a few wayward tears off her cheeks. The house was surprisingly cool for the hot heat of Houston. Not long after moving down to Houston, Henry and Grace had bought a small two-story bungalow in upper Houston, with oak floors and all the latest appliances. There was even a small garage in the back that Henry used for his projects and to work on the car. In all, he and Grace were quite happy; it was good to be back at NASA, but silently, both had to admit that they missed the quiet life of Eureka (well, as quiet as Eureka could ever get) and found themselves hoping for an explosion or man-eating experimental pet to get loose, to no avail.

They looked forward to their nightly Skyping chats with Carter and Allison; sometimes Fargo and Holly would join in, and even Zoe occasionally, but Skyping and e-mail didn't compare to being face-to-face, across the table from them. It wasn't the same as seeing them every day at GD or sitting at the counter at Cafe Diem, or curled up on the sofa in the smart house. Since the town had closed and the residents scattered, it had been harder to adjust to no face-to-face live communication. As it was, both Henry and Grace found themselves debating over the various changes in the lives of their friends that were either taking place, or bound to.

"I know, I just... I guess after... not seeing them for so long... you don't think anything will have changed, do you?" Henry thought a moment.

"There are bound to be changes, it's inevitable. Change happens whether we want it to or not-"

"No, Henry, I mean... do you think that our friendships wll have changed? That maybe we won't be as close to Jack and Allison or Fargo and Holly or Jo and Zane as we were in Eureka?" She sniffled. "Do you think this being on opposite ends of the country will... rip our friendships apart?"

He searched her face, seeing the fear so clearly defined in her dark eyes. Filled to the brim with tears, she struggled to keep them hidden, but they slipped down her cheeks, and softly, gently, Henry reached up, wiping them away. They shared a soft kiss, giving each other strength. Eventually, Henry pulled away and got up. "Come on, we'd better get going or we're going to miss our flight. Can't have that. Jack and Allison would never forgive us."

They boarded the plane in silence, much like the drive to the airport had been. Eventually, after one daily layover and twelve hours, the two exited the terminal into Seattle Airport. "Henry! Grace!" Shaking away the sleep, Henry looked up as a child rushed towards them, arms out for hugs. Instantly, Henry knelt down and scooped Jenna into a hug, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Oh, that can't be little Jenna Stark!" He said, pulling away to look at her. Jenna giggled, before turning to Grace. As Grace took the little girl into her arms, Henry went to Allison and Carter, wrapping them both in long-waited hugs. "How have you two been?" He glanced quickly at Allison's belly, laying a hand gently on her stomach. "You're doing okay?" Gently, Allison covered his hand with hers, before wrapping him in another hug.

"It's good to see you again." She whispered, holding tight the the former mechanic and town mayor. Henry pressed a kiss to her hair, before pulling away.

"You too."

"So..."

"Fargo and Holly get in tomorrow night, and Zoe and Kevin get in next week, after midterms."

"Still no word from-"

Jack shook her head. "No. No word from either of them." He whispered; it was plain that the former Eureka sheriff was deeply concerned about his former deputy. After a moment, he took Jenna back from Grace.

"Come on, let's get you both settled. You'll love the house-"

"Where are you living?" Grace asked, slipping her arm through Allison's as they left the loading area.

"Haller Lake."

"Sounds beautiful."

"Oh it is. It's absolutely gorgeous." Allison thought a moment, before laughing. As they left, Jack and Henry both looked back towards the loading area, thoughts on the rest of their family members. Soon, they would all be there to celebrate Allison's shower and then Thanksgiving. "Even with the rain."


	14. Chapter 14

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Together Again**

Fargo looked up as the cab pulled up in front of two-thirty-five Marin Avenue; Holly sighed, shifting closer to him. Her head rested on his shoulder, and he grinned, taking her hand and squeezing gently. When he'd gotten the call from Carter about Allison's baby shower, he and Holly had jumped at the chance to see their old friends again. They'd gone out to dinner with Erica and Niall that night, and had spent the time telling them about stories of living in their small Oregon town. At one point, Erica's gaze had taken on a wishful glow, and she'd rested her elbows on the table.

"It sounds nice." Fargo couldn't help but detect a hint of sadness in her dark eyes.

"Haven't you ever been to Seattle, Erica?" Holly had asked, confused. The other woman had slowly shaken her head.

"Been to every other city in the States, up to Vancouver, Quebec, Toronto, Alberta, Halifax, but... never Seattle. Always wanted to go." Fargo exchanged a glance with Holly, before,

"Maybe we could go on a trip up to Seattle next summer on a..."

"Oh! I know what that is!" Holly cried, setting her drink down. "Um... it's a..."

"A roadtrip?" Niall had asked. He'd chuckled at the realization that neither Fargo nor Holly had never been on a road trip; Erica slapped his lightly on the shoulder, a glare crossing her pretty features.

"So, how's work been?" Fargo asked, hoping to divert the conversation.

"Good. We've been working on the mid-season finale-"

"Oh! Are Jo and Zane going to finally admit that they love each other?" Holly had instantly latched on her new current obsession; she'd watched every episode in order from Season One, and had frankly couldn't wait to see if her favorite couple would end up together in Season Three. "Between Zane's arrival at the beginning of Season Two, him burning down Jo's house mid-season, and them finally kissing after that irresistible mess in Maneater- if they don't admit that the love each other- or at least mean something to each other, then you might as well just cancel the show."

"Um... the show is the sheriff's story, not Jo and Zane's." Erica had replied, casting a confused glance at Niall, who'd shrugged.

"Well it shouldn't be. It should be about Jo and Zane, and the others- Carter, Henry, Fargo, Allison- they should all be secondary characters to-"

"Jo and Zane." Niall finished. Holly had beamed at him, giving her his brightest smile. He had returned the smile, slinging an arm around his wife's shoulders as the four sat at their favorite diner in downtown San Fran.

"Yeah, I mean, how often do you find two characters in a TV show that are so... perfect for each other? Impossible, right? Especially in real life." Fargo's gaze had flicked nervously to Erica and Niall, but neither said a word; if anything, they shared a nervous glance themselves. Then again, anyone would feel nervous around Holly. Her personality was so... so Holly, that most people didn't know what to do with her. Add in the fact that the TV show the two actors stared in was an almost exact parallel to the lives of those in Eureka, well-

And the whole dinner had turned from fun to awkward beyond hell.

"Oh, Seattle's gorgeous! Even though it rains two-hundrd twenty-six days out of the year- mainly from October to May, and when you think about it, the average number of inches it rains in Seattle is about thirty-six, so, less than the number of inches in New York during a rainy period, but-"

"I never thought I'd be so glad hear that voice." Fargo looked up as they got out of the car, to see Carter standing on the porch. Carter had offered to come get them, but Fargo had said that they would just catch a cab; after stopping at their hotel and dropping off their things, the two had taken a drive through downtown Seattle, taking in the sights before heading to the Carters. Fargo felt himself crack a grin, and he quickly embraced the former sheriff as Holly continued to talk.

"How're you doing, Carter?" The older man shrugged, lopsided grin in place.

"Pretty good. Been looking forward to seeing you two again." He replied, wrapping Holly in a hug.

"It's really good to see you-"

"Fargo!" The pair turned as Allison came out onto the porch, glowing and radiant. Giving his friend a big smile, Fargo quickly wrapped her in a hug.

"Good to see you again, Allison- and Henry and Grace and-" He soon found himself unable to form another coherent thought as he was enveloped in hugs and kisses and cries of 'How have you been?,' 'Are you enjoying California?,' and 'How long are you here for?' before being released and letting Holly get taken into the mass of hugs and hellos.

As they settled into the living room, Fargo found himself taking in the new surroundings of the Carter home. It was weird,_ not_ being in the bunker; to find yourself in a house with no AI, no advanced technology, just felt wrong. He loved the old Victorian he and Holly shared with Erica and Niall, from the crown molding to the carved oak staircase, but it still didn't compare to the retina scanners and AI's of Eureka; he had trouble remembering to lock the door at night before bed. Carrying keys was a nuisance.

As everyone settled into the living room, Jenna climbed onto Fargo's lap; he immediately stiffened, unsure of how to respond until Jenna wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. "Hey, Jenna, how have you been?" The child looked up at Fargo, smiling, and after a moment, he pressed a kiss to her forehead as chatter started up around him.


	15. Chapter 15

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Just a Kiss**

"I had a really nice time tonight." Lucas nodded, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, so... so did I." They stood in the lobby of Zoe's dorm hall, staring at each other awkwardly. A moment passed, before she pulled something out of her purse, handing it to him.

"Allison... sent me this a few days ago. I... found it when I picked up my mail today. It's... the invitation for her baby shower." He studied it, before handing it back.

"Well, have fun." She smiled.

"I... I will. It'll be nice, to see everyone again, you know?" She bit her lip; she shouldn't even _consider_ asking, let alone go on and actually ask. "Hey, you... you wanna... come? To Seattle with me? I'm sure everyone would be really happy to see you." She watched as he seemed to consider her offer, probably weighing the pros and cons before taking a seat on one of the sofas. Slowly, he licked his lips, looking up at her.

"What happened?"

"Wh... what do you mean?" She sank onto the sofa beside him, confused by his question. Lucas sighed; it had a simple answer, yet complex enough that they couldn't answer it.

"I mean... what happened to us?" Again, Zoe bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. She glanced down at her hands; for a brief, painful moment, the memory of what she'd done to Jo, of how she'd gone after Zane, of the pain she'd unknowingly caused her best friend, the woman she looked on as an older sister...

She sighed, sitting back against the pillows. Jo's big, expressive dark eyes flashed before her. "Do you love him?" Tears has misted over Jo's dark eyes as they'd stood in her office, plotting how to capture Beverly; Jo had responded that she didn't know, and then had rushed off, her mind focused on hunting down the former therapist. She'd chased after Beverly through the halls of GD like a cheetah going after a gazelle. Later, in the infirmary, after everyone had woken up and they had freed Allison (Beverly's brain-jacking set everyone on edge for weeks after), Zoe had watched Jo go to Zane. He'd brightened at the Security Head, giving her a smile that Zoe had never (and would never) recieved. It held all the hope and promise of a future, if they built it one stone at a time. And in return, for learning Jo's secret, Zoe had recieved a broken heart. And now, as she sat next to her ex-boyfriend, working through what had ripped them apart, she knew exactly how Jo felt.

She'd had her feet kicked out from under her; her entire world stolen from her and replaced with something new.

_"Do you love him?"_ Her own words, now in Jo's soft mezzo, flited into her mind, and she met Lucas's eyes. What happened to them? Their high school romance had... been just that. A high school romance. And yet, every other guy she'd dated since starting at Harvard- even Zane- hadn't added up, let alone _compared_ to Lucas. There had been... what had Jo called it, when she'd described her relationship with Zane? A spark? Yeah, that had to be it. There was a spark, with Lucas, that she felt with no one else. A moment passed, before she shook her head.

"I... I don't know. We... I guess we just..."

"Grew up?" He offered softly. She glanced at him, nodding.

"Yeah. We grew up." He nodded.

"We didn't click. Maybe we never did." Her heart dropped into her toes at his words, and a part of her screamed that it wasn't true, that they had always worked; like Jo and Zane, or her dad and Allison, or Henry and Grace, they were meant for each other. Meant to be. "I had a nice time." Slowly, Zoe raised her eyes to his, unsure of what to say.

So she said nothing.

Instead, she leaned over, capturing his mouth in sweet, soft kiss, filled with years of heartache, uncertainty and pain. She shut her eyes tight, not wanting to see the look on his face when he pulled away and laughed at her before leaving. Slowly, she pulled away, heart dropping at the silence. When she forced her eyes open though, she found him searching her face. As she opened her mouth to apologize, he cupped her face in his hand and returned his mouth to hers. Slowly, she reached up, holding his face in her hands as the kiss deepened. Zoe pulled away when they broke the kiss, cheeks bright red. "I... sorry, Lucas, I... I don't know what I was thinking-"

She was up and on her feet by the time he could register her words, and several minutes passed as he watched her rush up the stairs to her dorm before he followed her. "Zoe!" Her frantic searching for her keys stopped, and she froze. She struggled, forcing herself to take a deep breath before she turned around to look at him. Tears slid down her cheeks, and she took a deep breath, waiting. Waiting for him to dash any small, fragile hope she had of getting past... you know, she didn't even remember why they'd broken up in the first place. All she knew, was that kissing him had rekindled something inside her that she hadn't felt since leaving Eureka for Harvard at sixteen.

Lucas reached out, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close, until her arms slid around his neck. Slowly, as though testing a hypothesis, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a soft, loving kiss._ It's never felt so right, you stupid girl, how could you think anyone else could compare?_ And as she wrapped her arms around his neck, she knew that Jo was right. She did love him. When she pulled away, she whispered,

"Come with me, to Seattle." He stared into her eyes for a moment, before nodding.

"Okay."


	16. Chapter 16

**R****if****iuto: N****on**** Miriena**

**- Honeymoon Period**

_How are you and Jo doing? Hope to see you at Allison's shower and at Thanksgiving. Hope you're doing okay. Let us know when the wedding is!- Zoe_

Zane sighed. That was the third text from Zoe he'd recieved today. As he shut the door behind him and set his bag on the side table, he told himself that they would have to get in touch soon; there was only so long before Zoe and the others would start to get suspicious, and come looking for them... He headed into the kitchen, fixing a cup of tea and taking a seat at the table.

But not yet. Not with Jo risking her life in search of this... he didn't even know the whole details; he'd only been given the information he needed to hack into, before letting his wife go at the airport with a kiss and the promise that he would be here for her when she got back.

That had been three weeks ago. She should be home by now.

He took a deep breath, taking seat at the table as he sifted through the mail. And there, was the invitation to Allison's baby shower. A moment passed, before he set the invitation down and sipped his coffee, lost in thought. Eventually, though, he turned in, shutting off the light and heading upstairs. As he undressed and climbed into bed (still expecting Jo to be on her side, book in hand or in the bathroom), he thought back on the week before Jo had left for her next assignment. They'd spent those two weeks since their wedding in Hawaii, spending as much time together as possible before their honeymoon had to be cut short and both had to return to work. They'd spent the first couple days in bed, before deciding to go climbing.

Jo had dumped their hiking gear on the ground and tossed her smooth French braid over her shoulder (Zane had noted with silent delight that it reached mid-back, which meant miore to run his fingers through when it was taken out of the braid later), enjoying the feel of his eyes moving from her long tanned legs, over her shorts, and up her snug-fitting tank. They'd decided to do some of the more challenging hikes (both were well-trained in hiking and climbing) and they'd enjoyed having the trail to themselves. At one point, Zane had grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms, taking a rare moment to catch their breath and steal a kiss that turned heated quickly. Jo had pulled away and grinned, taking the lead, tossing over her shoulder,

"If you want to stay here, that's understandable. You're not as fit as you used to be! I can go on and meet you back here!"

Zane had chased after her, catching up and pressing a kiss to her head before stopping to take in the sight before them. Jo had dropped her pack on the ground, and took a seat on a bench that had been added to create the small rest area, pulling out her water bottle. "It's gorgeous, isn't it?" He'd joined her, nodding. "Can you imagine waking up here, and seeing a view of that in some form, every day?" He'd turned to her, drinking in the awe that shone in her eyes, and he'd taken a sip from his own water bottle.

"I do, in a sense." He'd enjoyed the smile that tugged at the corner of her mouth, and after a moment, he'd leaned over, capturing her lips in a kiss. They'd sat for several minutes, lost in each other, before he'd reluctantly pulled away and stood, grabbing his things and helping her to her feet. "Come on, we've got another half mile of trail to finish before we head back. And once we get back, I think a nice, long, hot shower is in order."

They'd returned to their hotel an hour later, enjoyed a long, hot shower, and then had curled up in bed, talking and becoming lost in each others' eyes. At one point, he'd gotten up, grabbing something from his bag. Silently, he'd handed it to her, holding his breath as she opened it. She'd pushed herself up, dark eyes roving over the small black box. Inside, lay a simple gold chain, with only a simple gold pendant dangling from the end. "Oh, Zane, it's beautiful."

"It was my great-grandmother's. She brought it down with her from Halifax, after the explosion. Spent the rest of her life in Boston-"

"You're grandmother's-" He'd nodded, taking the necklace from the small box and unlatching it. She'd lifted her hair, allowing him to clasp it around her neck. "She was a teenager when she survived the Halifax Explosion. Lost her family, came down to Boston and... made a life for herself." Jo had looked down, lifting the pendant. It was small, a simple blue stone wrapped in a swirl of gold. "She gave it to my mom, and my mom always told me that it would be her gift to my wife." He'd then pressed a soft kiss to beneath her ear, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. "It's yours now, Jojo." She'd grinned, tilting her head to look at him as he nuzzled his nose against her ear. She'd then turned fully in his arms, wrapping her own around his neck.

"I love it, thank you." She'd kissed him then, pushing him back onto the bed and taking control.

Now, his wife was in Baton Rouge or New Orleans or somewhere down South, when she should have returned sometime this week. He'd been counting down the days since he'd kissed her goodbye at the airport, and with a resigned sigh, forced himself to sleep. Just as he was drifting off to sleep, his phone began to ring.


End file.
